CCCI shares new leadership agenda

As a platform to foster the relationship of CCCI with its media partners through dialogue and networking, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlighted the new leadership agenda of its newly elected president, Charles Kenneth Co in its mini-press conference on Friday, March 11 at QCafe, Golden Prince Hotel and Suites.


Sitting as panelists were CCCI President Charles Kenneth Co, together with CCCI Immediate Past President (IPP) Felix Taguiam, and CCCI Executive Director May Elizabeth Ybañez. Present also were some members of the Quality Management Team of the Chamber.


Co officially introduced his leadership plan primarily focused on mustering big brothers in the business community of Cebu to assist in the recovery of those struggling with more pronounced impact from "COVIDette."

During the Q& A, he pointed to the benefits of the EPIRA Law,
promoting competition in the power sector. CCCI has long since supported the continued implementation of the RCOA, which lowered the threshold or the average monthly peak demand to cover end-users and allow them to contract with any licensed or authorized suppliers of electricity voluntarily. CCCI provided a list of 7 Retail Electricity Supplies in Cebu and calls on businesses to avail of these amidst the continued high rates of power, especially in metropolitan Cebu, and the threat of power shortage this summer 2022. Co encouraged businesses to utilize the Green Energy Option Program where ever they can

Meantime, Immediate Past President Felix Taguiam called on the press to post a power rate comparison of various distribution companies regularly so that the general public becomes more vigilant about the power rates and on potential erroneous billings

Co expounded on mobilizing Chamber champions to pursue advocacy policies, programs, and practices that made Cebu businesses more competitive, focusing on the ease and lowering the cost of doing business, infrastructure, and logistics for more sustainable value chains.


"Because of Odette, there is a backlog of shipments. So now our ports are full of empty containers. So we also asked OPAV if they could do something about it and talk to the shipping companies to bring the empty containers outside Cebu ".

To help businesses recover, Co aims to catalyze an enabling ecosystem that fosters value-adding opportunities and an investment climate for economic revival in Cebu and promotes Cebu as a significant investment gateway in the Asia Pacific.

Cebu Chamber's CIDCC project with the Cebu City government seeks to catalyze an investment climate that fosters value-adding opportunities and promotes Cebu as a significant investment gateway in Asia-Pacific", explained Co. He cited the recent meeting with NUSTAR, which demonstrates business confidence in Cebu. NUSTAR Resort and Casino is an up-and-coming nine-hectare integrated resort facility located in Kawit Point at the South Road Properties developed by Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc. (UHRI).

Co also shared his plan to enable businesses to be more competitive. By upskilling workers to become job-ready and invest in a more competent workforce through training and education with improved Government-Industry-Academe collaboration and industry-driven Assessment, Certification and Accreditation Services(ACAS). "A dualized education training will address the job-skills mismatch in various industries. The DREAM Program provides business owners with upskilling. We are implementing with DTI, DICT, and the ICT stakeholders, which facilitates entrepreneurship and e-commerce".

The CCCI continues to leverage government support, grants, and financial programs and projects to revive, repurpose and strengthen MSMEs, especially those in the Food Industry, Fish/SeaFood Industry, Tourism, Creative Entertainment and Design, ICT-BPM, eCommerce, Infrastructure, Ship Building, Manufacturing including start-up entrepreneur.

CCCI's Cebu Business Mobilization conducts year-round events under its Cebu Business Month that fosters a lively spirit for business growth while linking closely with various government

President Kenneth, as he is now fondly called, says that Cebu Chamber will help ease the transition of the business community. Businesses reeling from the COVIDettCRON to an indeed reviving economy within a safer and healthier Cebu marked by strengthened public-private partnerships and multi-stakeholder collective commitment to combat these threats in our communities.


CCCI IPP Taguiam offered that what is needed is a coordinated effort from all stakeholders to lessen the impact of these price changes in the global market.

For more information, visit the CCCI Facebook page or email at info@cebuchamber.org.

- PR