The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) stands at the forefront of empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the commencement of the third leg of the forums aligned for this year’s Cebu Business Month. Bannered “A Summit to Inspire, Promote, and Grow MSMEs,” the momentous gathering took place at the esteemed City Sports Club Cebu from June 25 to 26, 2024.
This event is meticulously designed as a knowledge-sharing platform where we can learn, transform, and advocate. Most importantly, it allows us to embody and act on the unique qualities of Cebu’s business leaders.
Regan Rex King
CBM 2024 Overall Chairman
The 2-day summit is positioned to address the diverse challenges facing starting business owners and encourage them to further their entrepreneurial ventures through insightful dialogues. It also delves into strategies to enhance productivity, foster sustainable growth, and harness digital transformation.
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- Core team of the CBM 2024 with the speakers
“This event is meticulously designed as a knowledge-sharing platform where we can learn, transform, and advocate. Most importantly, it allows us to embody and act on the unique qualities of Cebu’s business leaders,” said CBM 2024 Overall Chairman, Regan Rex King.
Regan Rex King, CBM 2024 Overall Chairman
CBM 2024 Entrepreneurship Committee Chairperson Brigette Garcia-Alegrado seconded King’s claim in saying, “This summit is not only an opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurs and potential investors; it’s a platform designed to empower and equip our dear MSMEs with the tools needed to navigate today’s dynamic business landscape.”
Brigette Garcia-Alegrado, CBM 2024 Entrepreneurship Committee Chairperson
Among the champions present to amplify the gathering’s three key objectives: Inspire, Promote, and Growth, were local industry experts and growth ambassadors who are instrumental to Cebu’s thriving economy.
From startup to starship: Navigating growth from MSME to industry giant
Bernie Liu, LH Paragon Inc.’s Group CEO and Chairman
LH Paragon Incorporated stands as an embodiment of determination from a startup to becoming one of Cebu’s business giants, with various renowned enterprises solidifying its portfolio. As narrated by Bernie Liu, LH Paragon Inc.’s Group CEO and Chairman, the company’s current success is a product of hard work and resilience amidst unprecedented setbacks.
Generations of the Liu Family have already stepped in and retired from posts in the LH Paragon Group of Companies, but the values they uphold remain stagnant from what their founders and ancestors believed—this is what kept the company growing to this date.
“Rather than creating a contrived set of corporate values, our founders champion good, honest hard work. They believe that people should always help each other out, that family is important and that God should always be at the center of everything we do,” cites CEO and Chairman Bernie Liu.
Bernie Liu with the CBM 2024 core executives
He also enumerated the ingredients of their continued flourishing: entrepreneurial spirit, god-centeredness, integrity, love for work and the business, and social responsibility. “Our purpose is greater than the economic profit we generate,” Liu amplifies.
LH Paragon Group of Company is composed of the Matimco Inc., the Philippines’ leading provider of quality architectural and structural wood products; Oakridge Realty Development Corporation, the real estate and property development arm of the group; Greentree Food Solutions Inc., the company behind the homegrown 10 Dove Street; Keralty Prime Cebu Inc., a partnership with the international health enterprise, Keralty Clinics, to provide Cebu and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao market with innovative and affordable healthcare services; and Golden ABC, Inc., a multi-awarded fashion enterprise that houses some of the country’s top brands including PENSHOPPE, OXYGEN, FORME, MEMO, REGATTA, and BOCU.
Insightful fire chat with local legends
Fire chat with local business leaders
To fuel the attending guests, VIPs, and most especially, MSME owners’ interest in either upscaling their business or cementing their footprint further in the community, a fire chat was arranged by CCCI exclusively for the summit convening local business leaders.
When asked about the defining moment of his venture in the industry, Jay Aldeguer, the President and CEO of The Islands Group, immediately reminisced about his humble beginnings, from a small souvenir cart to having a leading one-stop souvenir shop in the Philippines. He also attributed his success to the faith he has in his brand and claims, “[Entrepreneurship] is usually a very lonely path, but when you have that promise, nudge, and sense of encouragement, it does wonders.”
“Responsibility is nothing to be taken for granted. No man is an island; sometimes you think you’re so smart and you can do whatever by yourself, that’s not true. You’ll need a whole team behind you,” said Jonathan Uy, the CFO of Profood International Corporation and CEO of J Fiber International Services Corporation, reflecting on the biggest turning point of his career.
Relatively, Big Blue Logistics Corporation Head Bobong Castillo was quick to point out his viewpoint regarding the topic of success and asserted that, “Success in business is not an entitlement. You should not feel entitled to it [because] you have to work very hard every day to maintain that success.”
Laguna Group Founder and 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year awardee by the CCCI, Julita Urbina, also highlighted that while their business’ intent is to make profit, it also aims to bring honor to oneself, the enterprise, and most importantly, to the community. “Let us be better today, better tomorrow, and better every day of our lives because everybody dreams to be the best. Let us make a very good relationship with our people,” Urbina contends.
“If you see the opportunity over and above the threat, I think you’ll generally be refreshed even in the midst of challenges,” said William B. Chiongbian II, the President of FAST Group, as a reminder to sprouting business owners and to wrap up the discussion in a greater light.
Through “A Summit to Inspire, Promote, and Grow MSMEs,” CCCI reaffirms its unwavering commitment to championing MSMEs and creating an inclusive business ecosystem that empowers growth and resilience. With each session and every exchange, CBM 2024 is set to leave an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial landscape, paving the way for a brighter, more prosperous future for MSMEs in Cebu and the Philippines.
For more information about CCCI and the CBM 2024, feel free to visit their official Facebook pages.
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