Cebu biz sector kicks off CBM 2021

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) called on the Cebuanos to rise up and move forward to lead the economic challenges and recovery not only in Central Visayas but nationwide as the Chamber launched Tuesday, June 1 its annual flagship project the Cebu Business Month (CBM) which will be expanded to a year-long series of programs, events and activities that are relevant to the new normal with the theme, “Rise Forward.”

CCCI president Felix Taguiam, in a mini press briefing/CBM launching Tuesday said that the business sector has learned many lessons from the pandemic through its experiences and he is inviting everyone to join and participate to the various events lined up for the CBM 2021.

“We were not taught what to do, the economy went open and close. We learn from our mistakes, life and livelihood were at stake.  We were not prepared for the new normal, we faced the challenges in terms software, bandwidth and who would have thought that working from home (WFH) works and other new digital paradigm shifts,” Taguiam said.

The CBM 2021 is the 25^th this year and a great celebration to reboot, reopen, revolutionize and repurpose business. “We are to rise forward to bring more to Cebu than ever before,” he added.

According to Michael Cubos, CCCI vice president for Cebu Business Mobilization that the theme “Rise Forward” is a campaign to boost confidence and buoyancy of the local business community particularly MSMEs by providing opportunities that promote and enable digital transformation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity towards resilience and global competitiveness.

"As we stand up, collect our wits, move forward to soldier on and rise even higher than before, the CCCI on its 25th year of CBM wants to showcase a path to success that Cebuano Entrepreneurs are able to Reinvent, Innovate, Sustain, Empower and RISE FORWARD even in very challenging times,” Cubos said.

He bared that coming from a downturn, the business sector shall set an example to keep rising not only to inspire but to survive and show that business can adopt to evolve with the changing times and “we want to create a community, to come and join us in the various events lined up not only for the month of June but throughout the year” focusing on four major thrusts—Tourism, Entrepreneurship, Creative Industry and the ICT/BPM.

Brigitte Lim-Mueller, CBM 2021 Tourism Committee chair on the other hand bared that during the pandemic, tourism is the first industry that was badly hit. Mueller went on that with the pandemic, so many tourism things, sites and events to explore and showcase for the Cebuanos and the locals.

“CBM’s thrust for 2021 is to highlight local tourist products and destinations, not just in preparation for the eventual return of our foreign tourists, but also to encourage Cebuanos to explore the many local attractions that we have, right here in our own backyards,” Mueller said.

Meanwhile, ICT-BPM Committee Chair Joselyn Canon shared with the media the challenges the ICT-BPM industry faces that despite the pandemic the sector has been very resilient and has kept the economy going and moving.

Canon said that there some BPOs that are severely affected and closed but many have risen and continue to operate as BPOs revolutionize their operations through community involvement and inclusion to collaborate and promote each other.

“We wouldn’t have made it to 2021 if not for the support of the other community, we had to be conscious with the community that surrounds us.  CBM 2021 recognizes the importance of the industry in keeping the economy alive, calls out for partners and stakeholders support especially in its technology and telco requirements while also being one with the community," she added.

Canon said that this CBM 2021 will help enable the advancements and adoption of digital technologies and business models to help individuals and groups-everyone, engage more relevantly in the global digital stage.   

Canon calls out to the technical infrastructure of the telcos especially the “Work from Home” (WFH) setup with the BPO for a stable digital internet infrastructure to find a balance to move forward and rise.

Another important focus of the CBM 2021 is the Creative Industry sector.  To position Cebu as the Creative Entertainment Hub, CBM 2021’s Creative Industry Committee is also preparing series of events and activities aimed at re-inventing the digital creative industry to achieve greater relevance in the community through accessibility and impact for all stakeholders in the local creative industry. 

According to Marie Ernestine Denise Fajatin, CBM 2021 Creative Industry Chair that the creative industry is unfurling right before our very eyes, and the CCCI is at the forefront to answer the call to fast track the digital creative industry evolution in the community.

Creative Industry is still like a baby, it is a sector with very exciting activities ahead and partnership with the creative sectors in the country, in Asia-Pacific will help the industry to grow.