Canadian support for Cebu's tourism industry underway

The Canadian Government is currently looking at ways to support the booming tourism industry in Cebu.

Canadian ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland said while the Pearl 2 project is coming to an end next year, the Canadian government is currently studying development project assistance for the Philippines similar to that of Pearl 2.

Officially, the Pearl2 project of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will end in the middle of 2007, but if the agency decides to extend it, it will continually provide financial and technical support for potential industries like furniture, Information Technology, gifts, toys and housewares, among others.

CIDA's Pearl2 (Private Enterprise Accelerated Resource Linkages-Phase 2) is a project that supports Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in creating meaningful jobs for both men and women in the Philippines. The principal clients will be Business Support Organizations (BSOs), and Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs).

According to Sutherland, the Canadian government is looking at supporting the tourism industry, especially in Cebu, provided that the industry can create its own BSO. Currently, the Cebu tourism industry still has no BSO, although there is a handful of different tourism industry organizations.

Last year, some 18 Business Support Organizations (BSOs) all over the country, have completed the Canadian International Development Agency's (CIDA) Pearl-2, Executive Director Series, helping potential industries in the country achieve accelerating growth amid the threatening global competition.

The P12 million Executive Director Series Program is a collaborative effort among Pearl 2, the Venture Development Center (VDC) of British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), and the Department of Commerce of the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu.

Sutherland said it is important for the tourism industry, especially in Cebu to create a BSO so that international funding, such as the CIDA can enter into providing a support to help small scale businesses in the tourism industry.

"It is more effective for us to work with BSOs," Sutherland said adding that an industry with BSO can also effectively help its members, especially the micro-players to grow.

The 18 BSOs whose executive directors were part of the training last year include the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF), Naga City Investment Promotion Center, Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters Foundation (FAME), Cebu Software Association, Bohol Investment Promotion Center, Oro Business Promotion Center, Guild of Philippine Jewelers, Sikap Mo Foundation, Association of Philippine Leathergoods Manufacturers, Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines, Animation Council of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Handicraft Industries, Philippine Footwear Association, Christmas Decors Association, Gifts Toys and Houseware Association (GTH), Philfoodex, Iloilo Furniture Manufacturers Association, and Davao City Investment Center.

Sutherland reiterated that the next batch of development assistance from the Canadian government would surely include tourism industry support.