27th CACCI confab kicks off today

CEBU, Philippines - As Cebu was chosen to host the two-day international event for the first time, the 27th International Conference of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) has finally kicked off today at Radisson Blu Hotel.

With the theme “Asia Pacific: Catalyst to Global Recovery”, the conference is aimed to provide a platform for CACCI members and invited experts to exchange views on measures that the business sector and governments in the region can undertake to help sustain growth and enable the Asia-Pacific region to play a catalytic role in the global recovery.

Despite the impact of the European debt crisis and the continued weakness in the US market, the Asia-Pacific region particularly Southeast Asia is showing resilient performance and is expected to benefit further from a commodity boom, greater foreign investment and government-driven investment in infrastructure projects.

More than 500 delegates from 27 countries in Asia Pacific are expected to join the two-day conference.

They arrived yesterday and had the 27th CACCI Cup Golf Tournament.

Parallel breakout sessions on various issues shall take place on the first day of the conference.

These will include topics on tourism, convention of young Asia-Pacific entrepreneurs, contracting and construction, textiles and garments, women entrepreneurship, chemicals industry, food and agriculture, information and communications technology, trade facilitation, small and medium enterprise development council, water, energy and environment, health and education.

The advisory board and budget commission meeting and 82nd CACCI council meeting shall also be conducted today.

On March 15, major stakeholders of both the government and business organizations shall lead the opening ceremonies to be held in the morning.

They will include organizing committee chairman Jose Ng, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) immediate past president Prudencio Gesta, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Atty. Miguel Varela, Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry president Ambassador Benedicto V. Yujuico, Cebu acting governor Agnes Magpale, Cebu City mayor Michael Rama, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry honorary chairman Edgardo Lacson, and President Benigno Aquino III as the special guest of honor.

However, as confirmed by CCCI yesterday, President Aquino will not be able to grace the event and his speech will be delivered instead by Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras.

It will then be followed with different sessions discussing on the euro debt crisis and its implications for Asian business, sustainable energy resources and food security, the impact of bilateral agreements on regional trade and investments, the role of women and youth in economic development and trade and investment opportunities in the Philippines and in Cebu.

With its advocacy on tourism growth, CCCI shall also offer a tour package after the two-day conference before the delegates leave.

CCCI won the bid to host the conference besting five other interested countries. (FREEMAN)