Business still struggling

CEBU, Philippines — Tourism in Cebu is still recovering while the construction business is not as dynamic as it used to be.

These were the observations disclosed by Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Charles Kenneth Co during the latest episode of The Freeman’s “Hot Seat”.

Co said that while the food businesses are already doing okay, the tourism sector is still recovering and the construction industry is slowing down.

“Food business, medyo okay-okay,” he said, as people who were in lockdown due to the pandemic shifted from ordering online to going out to explore and eat out again, as evidenced by the current traffic situation.

He, however, said that the construction industry has slowed down the situation was even better during the pandemic.

“Construction projects, nag lie low pud karon,” Co said.

He said there are currently only a few construction projects, especially government projects.

“Little government projects especially in Cebu unlike in the Build Build Build program (under former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s term), when it was very strong ang atoang construction sector,” said Co.

“That’s not only for the Philippines, not only to Cebu… During the pandemic, the government was really conscious of the lockdown. Most of the government’s priming, nibuga gyud ug maayo ang government…. Now, slow down even in China and other world economies,” he added.

Co said the Philippines is even luckier as it still has the Business Process Outsourcing sector as well as the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), as they have kept the country Gross Domestic Product to grow up at 4 to 5 percent.

For Cebu’s tourism industry, Co said, it is still recovering and has not rebounded yet to its pre-pandemic time.

This, Co said, could have been caused by “territorial disputes” that affects tourists from coming here.

“We need to look at other Asian neighbors also for tourism,” he said.

In particular, Co said, hotels here are already doing okay, but not that much for resorts.

“Resorts?  Not so…. Lesser than pre-pandemic,” he said, adding that among other factors, non-resumption of many direct flights to Cebu could be a reason.

He also said that to help address the situation, the government could help by making visa applications easier for visitors. — (FREEMAN)