The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is shifting its focus from simply delivering programs to measuring the concrete changes those initiatives create for businesses and the wider Cebu community.
This direction took center stage during CCCI’s 3rd General Membership Meeting (GMM) on August 27 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, where members, business leaders, industry stakeholders, and partners gathered to discuss business relevance, institutional collaboration, workforce development, and the continuing need to strengthen Cebu’s competitiveness.
A key highlight of the evening was CCCI President Regan Rex King’s Report, which provided updates on the Chamber’s programs, partnerships, and initiatives while outlining the administration’s priorities for creating greater value for members and strengthening the business community.
King emphasized that CCCI is moving beyond measuring its work by the number of activities conducted and toward assessing the policies improved, opportunities created, skills developed, businesses supported, and meaningful changes achieved. “Activity is not impact. As we move forward, we want to move from simply reporting, ‘This is what CCCI did,’ to being able to say: ‘This is what changed because CCCI did it.’”
The direction sets a clear framework for CCCI’s work moving forward: doing what matters, measuring what changes, and creating value that businesses and communities can experience.
Building Relevance in a Changing Market
The meeting’s keynote speaker, Margot Torres, Managing Director of McDonald’s Philippines, shared insights on “Built to Stay Relevant: Winning Customers, Building Strong Brands, and Growing in a Changing Market.”
Drawing from her leadership experience with one of the country’s most recognized brands, Torres emphasized that staying relevant requires businesses to build trust, remain grounded in purpose, respond to changing customer needs, and consistently translate their values into action. “Trust is what turns transactions into relationships,” she said, underscoring the importance of earning and sustaining the confidence of customers, employees, partners, and communities.
Torres also highlighted the role of innovation, emphasizing that technology and innovation should ultimately serve the customer. Businesses, she noted, must adopt new technologies with purpose and responsibility while remaining responsive to the needs of the markets and communities they serve.
She further underscored that meaningful and lasting impact cannot be achieved by businesses working in isolation. Addressing broader societal challenges requires collaboration among the private sector, government, communities, civil society, and other stakeholders.
Building on this message of collective action, Torres introduced Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and invited its Executive Director, Elvin Uy, to share the organization’s work across health, education, environment, livelihood, and social inclusion. Uy emphasized that while individual companies can contribute to development, businesses working collectively can achieve greater and more sustainable impact.
Strengthening Partnerships Across Sectors
Turning collaboration into concrete action, CCCI formalized partnerships with five organizations through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding and a Memorandum of Agreement, covering strategic areas such as digital transformation, executive education, civic innovation, professional development, and data analytics.
Among the partners were TechSupport.Ph, Inc., CCCI’s technology partner supporting the Chamber’s digital transformation through the OneOffice platform; the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), supporting executive education, professional upskilling, and industry capability building; and The Sandbox Foundation, Inc., supporting civic innovation through Cebu SolutionsFest 2026.
CCCI also partnered with the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants – Cebu Chapter (PICPA-Cebu Chapter) to support tax, accounting, auditing, and business advisory capability-building initiatives, and with Tsuneishi Technical Services Philippines, Inc. (TTSPI) to support data analytics and digital capability development for the business community.
The partnerships expand CCCI’s capacity to connect businesses with expertise, technology, education, professional development, and innovation: turning collaboration into opportunities that can strengthen business capabilities and competitiveness.
The GMM also featured the signing of a Sister Chamber Agreement between CCCI and the Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, strengthening ties between the two chambers and opening opportunities for business linkages, trade and investment cooperation, knowledge exchange, joint initiatives, and mutual support.
Investing in People and Business Capability
The Chamber’s commitment to measurable impact was also demonstrated through its continuing investment in workforce development.
During the GMM, CCCI recognized 69 learners who earned their Basic Qualification Certificate (BQC) as Seafood Plant Assistants, highlighting the Chamber’s efforts to develop a skilled, certified, and industry-ready workforce.
The qualification was initially developed through the FISH Visayas Project Phase 2 in partnership with the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation. It has since been sustained and institutionalized through CCCI’s Assessment, Certification and Accreditation Services (ACAS), allowing industry-driven skills assessment and certification to continue beyond the project period.
A key component of the program is the Dual Education and Training (DET) model, which combines classroom instruction through CITE Technical Institute, Inc. with 912 hours of in-company training.
The model gave learners practical exposure to actual workplace standards, processes, and safety requirements: helping bridge the gap between training and workplace readiness.
The program was supported by eight (8) industry partners: Siargao’s Bounty Seafoods Corp., Central Seafoods Inc., Foodphil Corporation, Profood International Corp., ASO Philippines Inc., Treasure Island Packaging Corp. (iPak), Matluster Corporation, and Monde Nissin Corp.
The recognition demonstrated the value of sustained collaboration among industry, education and training institutions, and development organizations in creating clearer pathways from skills development and certification to employment and career opportunities.
More importantly, the program reflects the kind of outcome CCCI seeks to achieve under its “activity to impact” direction: transforming programs and partnerships into skills, credentials, workplace experience, and opportunities for people and businesses.
Growing the CCCI Family
The GMM also welcomed 28 new CCCI members, expanding the Chamber’s network of businesses across various sectors.
CCCI likewise recognized members celebrating five and 10 years of continuous membership, honoring their sustained commitment and contributions to the Chamber’s initiatives.
The five-year honorees included Converge ICT Solutions, Inc.; D and T Constructions; Dexcom Philippines, Inc.; EZ Pavers & Hollowblocks Manufacturing; Federal Express Pacific, LLC.; First Circle Growth Finance Corporation; Liam Louis Trading; Paca Training & Management Systems (PTMS); Mata Technologies, Inc.; Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.; RK Eustaquio Enterprises OPC; Rockwell Land Corporation; Top Line Business Development Corporation; Trinity Insurance Brokers Cebu, Inc.; and Yoveo Digital Marketing Services.
Recognized for 10 years of membership were Bayfront Hotel Cebu; Central Lumber Corporation; Duros Land Properties, Inc.; Island Fry Foods Franchise Corporation; Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative; Markjem Steel Corporation; PhilCare Inc.; RNC Marketing Philippines; and Saferide Car Rental / Dugomon Transport Services Corp.
These milestones reflect the continuing value of sustained engagement within the Chamber—creating opportunities for businesses to connect, learn, collaborate, strengthen capabilities, and participate in initiatives that contribute to their growth.
From Activity to Impact
The 3rd General Membership Meeting reinforced CCCI’s commitment to a more purposeful approach to serving the business community.
From strategic partnerships and workforce development to member engagement and inter-chamber cooperation, the Chamber is working to ensure that its activities lead to outcomes that matter-stronger capabilities, better opportunities, meaningful connections, and a more competitive and resilient Cebu business community.
As CCCI moves forward, the measure of its work will not simply be how much it does, but what changes because it does it.
CCCI extends its sincere appreciation to its Gold Partner, PETNET Forex Solutions; Silver Partner, GT Cosmetics Manufacturing, Inc.; and Event Partner, Mount Elizabeth Hospitals Singapore, for their valuable support in making the 3rd General Membership Meeting possible.
Special thanks are also extended to R.G. Manabat & Co. and Qualfon Philippines, Inc. for their support.
Padayon, Cebu!
