By Eddie O. Barrita
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, Aug. 17 (PNA) — The Mandaue City Government, in partnership with the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), will host the 23rd Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) set on Aug. 21 to 22.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) vice president for the Visayas Jose Ng said the event is one of the flagship events of this year’s Mandaue Business Month.
Over 300 businessmen representing the 17 chambers of commerce in Visayas are expected to join the event.
Ng is also encouraging non-chamber members to join the two-day business gathering.
The event, which carries the theme “Proudly Filipino: Partnership Towards Sustained Growth,” is seen to equip traders for the next stage of competition, as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economy formally opens next year.
Ng said VABC is the proper venue for businessmen to air their concerns, so that proper recommendation can be adopted by a group and be submitted to PCCI’s policy monitoring body for submission to proper government agencies.
Over the years, VABC has passed several policy recommendations that were properly endorsed to the PCCI.
This year, the conference has a more intensified approach as pressing concerns on the Asean integration is yet to be fully understood specifically the majority micro, small and medium entrepreneurs.
VABC conference director Stanley Go said among the speakers this year are PCCI president Alfredo Yao; Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes; Dr. Vicky Belo; Charie Villa of ABS-CBN: Pinky Yee, marketing director of Goldilocks Bakeshop; economist Cielito Habito; and Ricky Mercado, director of Family Business Development Center of the John Gokongwei School of Management of the Ateneo de Manila University. (PNA)