A more exciting Cebu

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) organized in 1993 aims to be the driving force of Cebu’s business and economic growth by strengthening the skills and capabilities of its members through advocacy, linkages and synergy.

For the past 17 years, CCCI has successfully organized the annual Cebu Business Month (CBM) to act as catalyst for business development and investment especially for the Cebu key industries.

The theme for CBM 2013 is “Excite Cebu.” It is an invitation to experience the best Cebu has to offer and to be part of the growth momentum Cebu expects to see this year. The numerous events are geared towards strengthening local businesses and driving Cebu to greater global competitiveness and strengthening the island as an international tourism and investment hub.

As Cebu continues to flourish in small to big-time enterprises, it marks the “2nd Cebu Creative Industries Summit” as another gateway for entrepreneurs, stakeholders, local media and arts groups, the academe, the government and other private organizations to present valuable insights and innovations that would uplift the quality of creative entrepreneurs and impose ideal practices that are key to success in every creative business.

One of the CBM major events is the launching and staging of the “Great Cebu Sale” at the Northwing of SM Cebu. This much-anticipated event is participated in by several organizations and establishments such as hotels and resorts, restaurants, furniture industries, the malls and shopping outlets.

To help boost employment in Cebu for sustainable living and prosperous business ventures, CCCI in collaboration with the Department of Manpower Development and Placement will hold the Cebu City local Job Fair on June 22, to give opportunities for jobseekers to search and match jobs related to their skills and for employers to establish a high profile and high-level visibility of their company and its undertakings.

In line with the month long celebration, CCCI recently held the 1st “Cebu Run for the Rivers,” a fundraising campaign for “Sagip Ilog,” a program that aims to improve the water quality of central river systems in the city. It gathered government units, schools and other organizations to support and initiate strategies and activities to rehabilitate Cebu’s rivers.

Other supporting events include the “Business-in-Golf” tournament, which is designed to promote camaraderie and healthy competition among entrepreneurs. This affair will be held on June 20 at the Cebu Country Club.

Adding to these activities is the Tourism Congress Program, which will assemble tourism leaders and stakeholders from the public and private sectors, academe, travel and hotel practitioners, LGU’s and media to look into making Cebu more fun and competitive by assessing current concerns and issues, specifically the conceptual framework of the Department of Tourism’s — “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”