CCCI aims to hold series of trade missions this year

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is going to set up several trade mission events this year to penetrate more countries, in order to intensify its thrust in helping members gain greater access to the overseas market.

CCCI president Prudencio Gesta announced that some of the chamber members are set to visit China next month in partnership with the Cebu Provincial government, led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Aside from China, several trade mission events will be scheduled this year, including areas of Eastern Europe, via Italy, as well as the Middle East.

   He said it is important for the chamber to work closely with the provincial government, as most business organizations in other countries like China and Europe are closely connected with their respective government administrations.

In other countries, the creation of business chambers is strictly mandated by their respective governments, he said.

   Just like the previous trade missions conducted jointly by CCCI and the Cebu Provincial government, Gesta said the group will continue to forge more business ties with different countries this year.

Meanwhile, Gesta said the group will focus on penetrating the fast growing China market.

Earlier, Chinese marketing expert Henry Hwang, urged Filipinos, particularly the Cebu business sector to strengthen its promotion in the Chinese market, while consumers are now shifting into demanding imported products aside from buying China-made items.

As the Chinese market is now buying imported products, Filipino exporters should immediately take advantage of this opportunity, and that apprehension of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), should not be seen as a problem—anymore.

Aside from government-to-government sisterhood agreement, CCCI will be forging more trade partnerships with business and trade groups in other countries, just like what it recently did with Chile.

Because of its formal linkage with the National Chamber of Commerce, Service and Tourism of Chile, former CCCI president Samuel Chioson said a group of businessmen from Chile is set to come to Cebu this year, in time of the Cebu Business Month (CBM 2012) in June, to meet with the Cebuano traders and counterparts.

“There are a lot of businessmen in Chile who have expressed interest to do business with Cebuano traders.,” Chioson said in fact, some of them are interested in investing into real estate, trading, tourism, among others.

Likewise, Chilean businessmen also sees good market potential in the Philippines to sell their products such as wine, pet food, machineries, and dairy products, among others.

Despite the distance, Chioson said Chilean traders displayed willingness to pursue stronger ties and mutual promotion of products and services between the two chambers.

“We see a lot of opportunities in this two-way process of linking with Chilean businessmen. We being in Asia where economic development and growth is expected to come in the coming years, and them being a new emerging market for our local businessmen,” Chioson emphasized.

Members of the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Chile are also now organizing a trip to Cebu this year for the Cebu Design Summit and again in 2013 to attend the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference where they will again hold more business matching in Cebu.

Meanwhile, Chioson also encouraged the public sector to strengthen free trade agreements (FTAs) between governments.

“At present we think that FTAs are currently being drafted for these countries. It will be a big help if we can have FTAs as soon as possible so that we can expect more active trading between us and Chile,” said Chioson. (FREEMAN)