CEBU CITY – The Mandaue Camber of Commerce and
Industry (MCCI) gathered a set of powerhouse speakers for its Business Summit
2023 at Marco Polo Plaza, Cebu on August 23 with the theme, “Empowering
Business for The New Era” led by its keynote speaker, Ambassador of Sweden to
the Philippines, Amb. Annika Thunborg with her presentation on “Sustainability
in the Circular Economy.”
MCCI president, Kellie Ko welcomed to the
summit more than 200 business leaders from Mandaue including the speakers and
the 25 new members for a learning event where topics on new ideas, new business
paradigms and technological developments in the local and global business were
presented.Ko said, this event highlights the role of the
business community to lead and guide the directions of how business adopts to the
changes and advancement of principles and strategies in the global market,
especially in the advent of digitalization, artificial intelligence and other business
innovations.
Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, in his inspirational
message emphasized the need for the business sector to adopt to the
digitalization and recognize that “we stand in a new era and it is imperative
that we rise to innovation.”
“If we want change to happen in our lives, it
must come from within. Attitude is key
in any change to happen in the community.
Let us consider problems and challenges as opportunities and we could
not get to greater height without you guys at the MCCI helping us,” Cortes
commended MCCI for the activity, making a difference in the business community.
Cortes added that as Mandaue embraces the new
era, “let us acknowledge the changes and together, let us move forward and be
proud to say that Mandaue is or home, our future!”
The Speakers
Ambassador
Annika Thunborg,
Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines with her keynote speech on
Sustainability in the Circular Economy, presented Sweden’s vision of a
sustainable, accessible and safe transport system for all.
Thunborg said that has chosen some priorities
in taking care of the planet for a circular economy to be sustainable. Safe and secure borders need a green transition
for security which Sweden undertook this journey since 2012.
Thunborg stressed that public policy measures for
safe and secure environment requires a quadruple helix sector collaboration
among government, academia, business and the public for more concrete steps for
sustainability.
Economist
and Licensed Environmental Planner Ronilo Balbieran spoke on the
“Philippine MacroEconomics Updates.” He
began his presentation with the World Economic Outlook that is uncertain again
amid financial sector turmoil, high inflation, ongoing effects of Russia’s invasion
of Ukraine and three years of COVID.
“In 2020, the whole world was most sure that we
were not sure what will happen in the future.
More than twice the uncertainty we had during the Global Recession in
2009,” Balbieran said.
He went on that the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) hikes PH growth outlook for 2023 to six percent as global growth was
projected to fall from an estimated 3.5 percent in 2022 to 3.0 percent in both
2023 and 2024. While the forecast for
2023 is modestly higher than predicted in the April 2023 World Economic Outlook
(WEO), it remains weak by historical standards, Balbieran said.
“The advantage of the Philippines includes its
population that is large, young, still growing, English-speaking and
tech-savvy. Liquidity, we have large
additional income from abroad and fiscal prudence. The Philippines has three trillion in excess
savings,” Balbieran noted.
PH’s third advantage is its resources, of
7,000++ paradise islands for tourism, abundant sources of food, mineral and
energy. The fourth advantage is the
country’s location, it is the most strategic location in the Asia-Pacific
Region, equidistant to most Asian countries, he added.
“The fifth, is that the Philippines is #1 users
of internet and social media in the world. Fastest at 93 percent e-commerce
growth in South East Asia in 2021; 23 percent in 2022 and 25 percent in the
next three years,” Balbieran said.
In summary, the Philippine economy was okay,
more than okay than other countries before COVID-19, during COVID-19 in
2020-2022 and in 2023 and beyond, Balbieran concluded.
Other speakers included Sarah Matthews, a digital marketing and strategy expert on the
topic, “Digital Makeover: Enhancing Online Reputation in the Travel Industry in
a Post-Pandemic World.” Matthews’ expertise in leveraging big data analytics to
drive greater effectiveness and efficiency has been applied in both the
government sector and corporate environment.
She has also been an advocate for diversity,
equity, and inclusion in marketing, serving as the Chair of the Pacific Asia
Travel Association (PATA) and on the regional board of Interactive Advertising
Bureau for Southeast Asia and India.
Arun
Gogna,
a national and international motivational speaker talked on the “Soul at Work”,
the truths about work. Designed
specifically for employees, this event aims to bring out the best of the best
by creating better workers, thinkers and team players.
Prof.
Christopher Monterola,
Aboitiz chair in Data Science and Head, Aboitiz School of Innovation,
Technology and Entrepreneurship and Executive Managing Director, ACCESS@AIM,
discussed about “Disruptive Technologies-Anticipating Impact on Markets and Companies.”
About the
MCCI
The MCCI Business Summit 2023 was one of the
highlights of the annual Mandaue Business Month (MBM). MCCI is committed to promoting and supporting
local businesses in Mandaue City. As a member of the MCCI there is access to a
wide range of resources and opportunities. The organization provides valuable
networking events, educational workshops, and advocacy efforts that are
designed to help your business thrive.
By joining MCCI, one will also have the chance
to connect with other local business leaders who share commitment to growing
the Mandaue business community; exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and
build relationships that will help achieve goals of the business sector.
