CCCI’s business festival officially opens

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) officially opened its legacy event Cebu Business Month (CBM 2024) marking the beginning of the months-long business festival in Cebu.

Chaired by businessman Regan Rex King, this year’s celebration of Cebu business is themed “Padayon Cebu,” reflecting the resilience of Cebuano businesses and their momentum as the economy strongly rebounds from the lingering effects of the pandemic and other challenges.

In his welcome speech,  CCCI President Jay Y. Yuvallos emphasized the lasting impact of CBM, a vital contributor to Cebu’s prosperity since it began in 1996.

Yuvallos underscored the achievements of CBM as a flagship project over the past 28 years and reaffirmed the CCCI’s mission to inspire, promote, and foster sustainable growth through strategic entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration.

“‘Padayon Cebu’ deeply resonates with us, signifying our deep-rooted commitment to continue pushing forward, no matter the challenges. This spirit of resilience and determination is what drives our community and fuels our progress,” said Yuvallos during the CBM-2024 Grand Opening Salvo at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, held on May 24, 2024.

Yuvallos also expressed his gratitude to the dedicated CBM 2024 team and emphasized the importance of synergy between the private sector and government agencies in driving Cebu’s progress.

King echoed these sentiments, outlining the goals and aspirations for this year’s celebration.

“Our theme for this year, ‘Padayon Cebu,’ captures the spirit of resilience and forward momentum that defines our community. We have crafted a series of events designed to inspire, promote, and grow Cebu businesses, propelling them toward a future of sustainable growth and innovation,” King said.

Throughout the month of June, CBM 2024 will host various activities strengthening entrepreneurship, encouraging innovation, and driving digital transformation.

The “Good Design. Good Business” Summit scheduled for June 14, is a multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approach that will discuss how good design will improve business and customer experience. Design is a driver in various approaches not only creating foundations or structures but also crucial in business operations and brand awareness. The summit will discuss city-making in the hospitality and food and beverage sectors where invited speakers come from diverse backgrounds in architecture, interior design, infrastructure, brand, and digital strategy as well as business owners providing a holistic mode for businesses.

On June 20, “Padayon Cebu: Enabling Cebu’s Competitiveness through Digital Transformation and Innovation Forum” will delve into the transformative potential of digitalization in streamlining business operations and building future-proof infrastructure.

Cebu's top CEOs will gather for “Captains of Industry: A CEO Networking Night” on June 26, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in a dynamic setting. “PADAYON CEBU: A Summit to Inspire, Promote & Grow MSMEs” on June 25-26, is designed to inspire, promote, and grow MSMEs by addressing their unique challenges through insights, success stories, and innovative solutions coming from industry leaders, startups and experts and policymakers.

The month of July will put the spotlight on Cebu's advantage in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector with its MICE Forum gathering industry leaders to delve into opportunities fostering economic growth and development.

CBM remains dedicated to advancing Cebu’s position as a key investment hub in the Asia Pacific region. The upcoming solutions expo dubbed “Empowering Cebu’s MSMEs,” slated for August 16-17, aims to equip MSMEs with vital resources and customized solutions, fostering inclusive growth and prosperity.

King’s leadership in the CBM 2024 is supported by vice chairmen Anton Perdices and Kent de la Calzada, along with a battery of dedicated business leaders in different committees. — (FREEMAN)