CCCI aims to expand membership base

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is boosting its membership base and inviting more companies to register as members to benefit from the various benefits offered by the chamber and take advantage of strong business linkages here and abroad.

Initially, the chamber recently launched its Centennial Business Access Card (CBAC), a privilege card which provides each member company VIP accommodation to several entities, including special offers and other privileges from fellow members.

According to Maderazo, this is just the start of the chamber’s strong stance to encourage more companies to register as members of the chamber.

CBAC is a revival of the Premium Privilege Plus Program (P4) formerly introduced by the CCCI years ago.

Maderazo said CBAC is also meant to give all members better business to business relation and linkages, and be part of the growing number of companies going abroad through trade missions hosted by CCCI to strengthen business to business relations with different trader nationalities.

This is important, he said specifically with the onset of the ASEAN integration on 2015. “Cebu should start to forge stronger relations [business to business] with other foreign businesses’, while the market has become widely borderless.

However, Maderazo underscored that this special membership program is not recruitment ploy or strategy, but “this is more of a retention initiative.”

At present, CBAC has about 13 industry partners. Easily, thirty-three new companies joined the CCCI recently, to add to its almost 300 member companies in Cebu.

Meanwhile, officials of the chamber expects to further boost membership and international linkages on the celebration of the Cebu Business Month (CBM 2014) this coming June.

Chaired by Virginia Foods Inc. (VFI) president Felix Tiukinhoy, this year’s CBM is seen to further re-enforce business interest to Cebu from investors in other regions in the country, as well as foreign investors.

CBM 2014 also will profoundly led the members and participants to the entry of the Philippines to the ASEAN Economy community (AEC).

Now on its 17th year, CBM 2014 themed “ASEAN 2015 and Beyond” is expected to strengthen Cebu’s positioning in taking advantage of the opportunities brought about by the region’s integration.

This is the reason why, the chamber is now active in inviting more companies to be part of the business organization, in order to forge a united solid group in fighting the adverse effects of the ASEAN integration, as well as together part take the opportunities it will bring to local businesses.

According to Maderazo, CBAC will be intensely introduced during the month-long celebration in June, and hopes to add more attractive packages for members, in partnership with several service companies like airlines, airport service (privileges), and special accommodation in different government agencies, among others.

Maderazo, who is also the chairman for the ASEAN Economic Integration said that as early as now, the chamber is going to forge more partnership and strong networking with business communities in developing economies like Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. —/JOB  (FREEMAN)