The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry will focus this year on helping local governments draw up action plans on Asean integration.
The chamber also aims to expand its membership by establishing more chapters.
Chamber president Ma. Teresa B. Chan said they hope to set up chapters in Bogo and Toledo cities this year. A chapter in Bantayan was recently established.
These new chapters, she said, can help them expand the chamber’s reach by enlarging membership base and help them reach the far north and south of Cebu.
In her report during the chamber’s general membership meeting last week, Chan said the chamber wants to be a catalyst in coming up with a “more consolidated program of action with better defined Responsibilities, Actions and Accountabilities (RAAs) and road maps among government and private institutions.”
“As a first step, we have already met our 24 affiliates and together, we have agreed to assist our LGUs (local government units) in whatever feasible way we can. For example, one or two organizations can adopt one or two systems for improvement, or one advocacy or program per sitio or barangay,” said Chan.
Economic integration by the end of this year will transform the Asean region into an Asean Economic Community with free movement of goods, services, investments and skilled labor. There will also be freer flow of capital.
Asean groups the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Chan said the chamber will continue to act as the primary liaison and channel of communication on matters and issues affecting the business community.
“To be able to better play our role in the community, we will consolidate our internal resources and efforts to become more effective and empowered to undertake our roles. We shall streamline our committees and invest in improved resources, processes and systems like internal as well as external communications,” she said.