ECCP Cebu lines up plans to help member companies

CEBU, Philippines —  The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP-Cebu) has lined up activities to help member companies and industries to make action plans to address current challenges, best practices, and possible synergies.

“New normal arrived early in Cebu and it shows in the sheer number of companies organizing behind ECCP,” said newly elected ECCP President Lars Wittig.

Wittig met with the ECCP Cebu Business Council to discuss industry updates, and possible actions and events which the chapter can initiate in Cebu to help industries and member companies prepare for the recovery. 

“We have more in store for Cebu as we remain committed to representing the Philippine-European business community in the region,” added ECCP Executive Director Florian Gottein.

“We recently partnered with a company who will open a 50-room lagoon resort in one of the LGUs in the province,” said Gottein.

ECCP Cebu will be hosting several events in the coming months such as the Tourism Reboot Forum II: Reshaping the Tourism Industry, Dialogue with LGU Forum series, training programs on Understanding the Psychology of Persuasion and Survival Guide on Branding and Marketing, Pakighimamat ug Pakiglanggikit: ECCP Cebu 30 Years of Connecting Businesses, among many others.

ECCP Cebu has created a name for itself other than a regional office through its advocacy initiatives, working towards actionable solutions for a better business environment for both European and Filipino companies alike in the region.

In 2019, it encouraged the government to continue expanding its infrastructure development and work closely with the private sector to expedite the rollout of flagship projects.

The ECCP Cebu Tourism Committee was also launched in the same year to cater to the growing travel, hospitality, and tourism sectors in the region.

With COVID-19 adversely affecting the tourism sector last year, the committee stood at the forefront of finding solutions for the said sector to recuperate through a number of webinars, and roundtable discussions with the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and LGUs.

“Amid the global pandemic, the Chamber remained focus on providing support to its partners and members by keeping them up to date on the hospitality trend not only in the Philippines but in different parts of the world,” said  ECCP Tourism Committee Chair Dottie Wurgler-Cronin.

Since its inception, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ first regional office in Cebu has marked an impressive growth, increasing its membership up to 25 percent greater than ever after thirty years.

ECCP opened its first regional office in Cebu in 1990, geared towards expanding its reach in the country. Cebu, the commercial capital of Visayas, had rich potential in business and investment.

The Chamber started strongly in the region with the majority of members coming from the creative industries such as furniture, fashion, and accessories.

Currently, ECCP Cebu members now come from even more diverse sectors including tourism, real estate, ICT-BPM-KPM, food and beverage, manufacturing, and creative industries among others. This complements the continuous infrastructure development and the lively workforce of the province.

According to Wittig, the remarkable growth in membership shows that Cebu is among the preferred destinations for many European companies looking to expand their business operations.

With a very supportive local government and vast profile of office spaces designed to accommodate operational requirements, Cebu has indeed emerged as one of the key cities for European companies to do business in, he added.