The Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2024 festivities are in full swing, with the recent “Enabling Cebu’s Competitiveness through Digital Transformation and Innovation Forum” convening industry experts and business leaders to explore the transformative power of various innovative methodologies held at Seda Ayala Center Cebu on June 20, 2024.
Digital trade, digital economy, digital ecosystem, [and] tech glomerate—it’s a blessing to have all of these present because these are the things that will propel us. If we do it right, with the right speed and the right focus, this will propel us into that vision of ours in the chamber, to be globally competitive.
Jay Y. Yuvallos
CCCI President
The assembly arranged by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) also focuses on accelerating business transactions by embracing cutting-edge technologies and upright strategies to amplify competitiveness and make Cebu a smart city, fostering sustainable development.
CCCI President Jay Y. Yuvallos addresses the guests during the Digital Transformation and Innovation Summit
“Digital trade, digital economy, digital ecosystem, [and] tech glomerate—it’s a blessing to have all of these present because these are the things that will propel us. If we do it right, with the right speed and the right focus, this will propel us into that vision of ours in the chamber, to be globally competitive,” cites CCCI President Jay Y. Yuvallos.
Yuvallos also added that digitizing business processes is proven to improve efficiencies, reduce transaction costs, and simply democratize businesses.
CBM 2024 Digital Transformation and Innovation Summit Poster
The event underscored Cebu’s commitment to leveraging digital advancements as part of its agenda to achieve economic growth and sustainability. It served as a platform for exchanging insights and best practices, paving the way for a more dynamic and competitive business landscape in the region.
Ease of doing business
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Director General Ernesto V. Perez
In a concerted effort to bolster economic growth and enhance the ease of doing business in the Philippines, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has been at the forefront of forwarding initiatives under the leadership of Secretary Director General Ernesto V. Perez. Emphasizing the commitment of the current national administration, ARTA has undertaken significant steps to streamline government regulations and processes, aiming to foster a more conducive environment for business and investment through the integration of digital solutions for the entirety of Cebu.
“By embracing digital transformation and innovation, Cebu positions itself not just to survive but to truly thrive in today’s dynamic competitiveness,” exclaimed Secretary Perez during his talk on the Enabling Cebu’s Competitiveness through Digital Transformation and Innovation Forum.
Together with the incumbent Philippine President’s vision, ARTA is devoted to transforming the delivery of government services by championing initiatives that prioritize efficiency, transparency, and accountability, thus cementing a business-friendly environment for Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.
Current state of competitiveness
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba
In a dynamic era where digital transformation and innovation are pivotal to economic growth, the Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba, shares that there is a need for Cebu to step up and synergize its state of competitiveness through mindfracturing, a knowledge- and innovation-driven industrial strategy.
“We need to embrace the fourth industrial revolution technologies, we need to grow and develop more innovative MSMEs and startups, [and] we need to integrate our industry development, trade, and investment policies. And another important pillar is regional development, regional industrialization through innovation, and the use of essential technologies for the development of regional industries,” states DTI undersecretary Aldaba during her discussion at the recently concluded forum by the CCCI.
While primarily focused on smart manufacturing, upsizing MSMEs and accelerating their growth, expanding trade and investment opportunities, and promoting regional development, Aldaba also highlighted that simplifying processes with automation and upskilling the workforce would be instrumental for furthering Cebu’s competitive potency.
Innovation hub
Leopoldo John F. Acot, Assistant General Manager of the Corporate Communications Group at the National Development Company (NDC)
At the 2024 Cebu Business Month’s “Enabling Cebu’s Competitiveness through Digital Transformation and Innovation Forum,” Leopoldo John F. Acot, Assistant General Manager of the Corporate Communications Group at the National Development Company (NDC), highlights the agency’s crucial role in supporting strategic projects that contribute to the nation’s progress as the investment arm of the national government.
“We are actually of a powerful mandate to enter into ventures and projects for the development and benefit of the economy as mandated by our charter,” cites Acot.
Recently, NDC has been involved in a variety of developments, including the establishment of the first cement firm, the first textile firm, a communication company, a national shipbuilding, and even renewable energy and healthcare projects.
Digitalization of the government
Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) Director IV June Vincent Manuel Guadan
Director June Vincent Manuel Guadan of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) emphasized in his dialogue at the second leg of the 2024 Cebu Business Month’s roster of forums the transformative impact of the eGovPh application. It serves as a cornerstone in the government’s efforts to enhance public service delivery through digital means, ensuring convenience for citizens and businesses alike by centralizing services on a single platform.
“[eGovPh App] is an important innovation that is done by DICT because of the fact that we are trying to have a citizen-facing application na nandoon na po lahat ng mga services ng ating gobyerno.”
[The eGovPh App is an important innovation that is done by the DICT because of the fact that we are trying to have a citizen-facing application that already has all government services.]
The citizen-centric and whole-government-encompassing platform, eGovPh, encapsulates the following features: National Government Agencies (NGAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) services; jobs for resume generation and hunting for career opportunities; tourism showcasing the country’s top travel destinations; travel for immigration, departure, and arrival inquiries; start-ups for growing businesses; health featuring a list of trusted hospitals and health centers; and more, including agriculture, SIM card registration, report, and a corner for OFWs.
Relatively, in the movement to foster innovation through collaboration, CCCI has finally inked a memorandum of agreement with the National Development Company (NDC), and another with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), all for the sake of boosting the competitiveness of Cebu’s business landscape through digital transformation.
For more information about the forum and to be updated on the future activities of this year’s Cebu Business Month, proudly organized by the CCCI, you may contact their official Facebook page.
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