MCCI hopeful for stronger public-private partnership with Jonkie, Pam

Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro (center), a political neophyte, is officially proclaimed winner of Cebu’s gubernatorial race by the provincial board of canvassers on Tuesday afternoon at the Cebu provincial capitol, defeating reelectionist Gov. Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia. CDN Digital File Photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has welcomed the newly elected leaders, expressing optimism and support for Mayor-elect Jonkie Ouano of Mandaue City and Governor-elect Pamela Baricuatro of Cebu Province.

MCCI looks forward to a new era of leadership for both local government units.

The Chamber congratulated the incoming officials and expressed hope for a productive and collaborative relationship with the new administrations.

At the same time, MCCI acknowledged the efforts of former Mayor Jonas Cortes and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, recognizing their valuable contributions to the growth and development of the city and province. MCCI highlighted the strong partnership between the business community and the city and provincial governments, which helped advance key economic growth initiatives and inclusive development.

As a longstanding neutral organization, MCCI reaffirmed its position of supporting leaders who share the same goals and vision for the community, rather than basing its support on political ties.

MCCI stressed its consistent collaboration with whoever is in office to ensure the continuation of programs that promote prosperity, business growth, and public welfare. The organization also expressed eagerness to engage with the new leadership in advancing its key advocacy areas.

MCCI identified several key issues it plans to continue championing, including improvements in healthcare, quality education, tourism, food security, and the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

These sectors, the Chamber pointed out, are essential for driving economic growth in Cebu and Mandaue, improving the standard of living for all residents, and attracting sustainable investments.

MCCI President Mark Ynoc noted, “They hold promising opportunities for our city and the province of Cebu. We look forward to working with the new leaders on our advocacies. As a Chamber of Commerce, we aim to help our city and province become the driving force of economic growth and development.”

However, the Chamber also stressed that these goals will not be fully realized without addressing several key challenges. Among the most pressing issues are traffic congestion, the need for better infrastructure, the digital transformation of business processes, and the growing skills gap between graduates and industry needs.

The Chamber pointed out that the current education system does not sufficiently align with the skills required by employers, which affects the employability of the youth.

Ynoc further emphasized that these unresolved issues significantly impact investor confidence. He explained that high power costs, a lack of globally competitive education and training, along with inefficient infrastructure and traffic congestion that slows supply chains, are major obstacles to attracting investment. The Chamber believes that these challenges, if not addressed, could continue to hinder growth and prevent the full realization of economic opportunities in the region.

“These are things that we need to approach as one, which is why the public and private sectors need to converge to work together,” said Ynoc.

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