'Engine of Growth' launched

CEBU, Philippines - A century and a decade of leadership in business and community is chronicled in Dr. Efren S. Valiente's third book, "CCCI 1903-2013: Engine of Growth, Voice of Business."

Dr. Valiente, a former president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (1995-1997), hinted of being a "certified bibliophile," looks at this compilation of CCCI milestones as his contribution to the CCCI's library and to the public, that "they may know the events that led to the organization of the CCCI; trace the what, the where, the when, and the how of a Chamber of Commerce; historical background on origins and membership; the Filipino perspective in implementation phases of the Chamber involving close cooperation with partner-chamber; and how this has prompted conduct of further research to deepen understanding of commerce and industry here, cohesiveness achieved at an earlier age even when Cebu was just made up of 320,689 people."

"However, the book is not only meant to document the past but also to motivate. Our mind needs books. The unsharpened pencil is always better than the sharpened memory. So it is important that you don't collect information by way of memory only. It is important to write them down," he added.

In a book launch last January 24, it was learned from Dr. Valiente that the research and preparation took five years. This was in close coordination with Dr. Michael Cullinane of the Asian Studies/History Department of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Cullinane is a Fulbright grantee who conducted research at the Cebuano Studies Center of the University of San Carlos from 1972-1976 and taught Political Science and History here.

"Putting up all the information needed to document the birth, growth and the development of the Chamber leads us coordinating with primary sources which are very difficult to find. Dr. Michael Cullinane provided loads of information that made the work easier to tackle, aside from getting much help from Google Scholar," Valiente noted.

He also attributed Philippine History books and community publications of valuable help like The FREEMAN, which already existed in 1919, citing "verifiable data."

He emphasized that proceeds of the book will go to the rehabilitation of chosen communities affected by ST Yolanda. The book costs P1,000 for Chamber members and P1,500 for non-members. Initial printing yields 1,200 copies.

This is Dr. Valiente's third book after successfully penning his thoughts on "Technological Manpower" and "Cebu Business Leaders: Nation Builders." (FREEMAN)