CCCI Beginnings & Milestones

  

CCCI Beginnings & Milestones

1903

• Cebu Chamber of Commerce (CCC) was founded and organized by lawyer

Martin M. Levering of law firm Early and Levering who also organized Cebu Telephone Company(1903) and Visayan Electric Company(1905); with co-organizer John M. Swirzer, a young and successful businessman who owned an import company  John Switzer & Company(1901) as co-organizer

1908

• CCC’s baton of leadership was passed on from Martin M. Leveling to CCC

co-organizer, John M. Switzer

1913

• CCC entered into a 99-year lease starting January 2, 1914 up to December 31, 2013 for an 812.27square meters reclaimed lot across Cebu Municipal Hall under the American Insular Government of Governor General Francis Burton Harrison.

1919

• CCC at the forefront of increased shipping and port activities after the First

World War

1921

• Trade Directory was issued by CCC giving details about the status of the economy of Cebu.

1928

• Another Trade Directory was issued by CCC to provide an update of the status of Cebu economy specially those that pertain to Imports & exports.

1931

• CCC became a full-pledge non-stock and non-profit corporation in June 15, 1931

 

1942 – 1946

• No activities during World War II

 

1940’s – 1960’s

• Quiescent years

 

1970’S

• Revival and Rebuilding years- CCCI’s by-laws were amended to conform to the requirement of the merger of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines with the Chamber of Philippine Industries into Philippine Chamber of Commerce and

           industry thru Letter of Instruction (LOI) no. 780 .

1978

• In November 2, 1978, CCCI bought a 906 square meters lot at North Reclamation Area for P132,000, at a price of P145.70 per square meter

 

1986

• CCCI further flourished when the Philippine Government linked the Philippine – German Chamber Cooperation Program (P-GCCP) with the Federal Republic of Germany, with CCCI as one of the principal partners.

 

1991

• “Cebu Business Day” was conceived as a festival that provided a venue for local traders and manufacturers to promote their products and services, exchange knowledge and skills, as well as market beyond their boundaries.

 

1993

• CCCI was awarded as the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas” by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

 

1994

• CCCI received its second award as the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas”.
• The Regional Chamber Development Program (RCDP), with financial and technical assistance from Handwekskammer Kassel (HWK) of the Federal Republic of Germany, provided the impetus for CCCI to partner not only with local organizations but with foreign agencies as well.
• “Cebu Business Week” was formally launched as an annual business festival through Cebu City Resolution No. 1635, Cebu Provincial Resolution No. 367-94 and Presidential Proclamation No. 748.

 

1995

• CCCI received its first award for “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Philippines”.

 

1996

• For the second time, CCCI received the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Philippines”.
• “Cebu Business Week” was expanded and flourished into a month long series of events acquiring recognition for its advocacies and the impact it has brought the city and the province of Cebu and the Philippines as whole. Now it is known as “Cebu Business Month”.
• In August 19, 1996, the P17 million CCCI Center was inaugurated, with members of CCCI chamber partner from HWK Kassel Germany, President of PCCI and Officials from Cebu City and Province

 

1997

• CCCI received the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Philippines” for third consecutive year and earning for itself a place in the PCCI’s “Hall of Fame”.

 

2000

• The City Government of Cebu awarded CCCI as the “Engine of Cebu’s Economic Growth”.

 

2003

• The ZDH Technonet Asia cited CCCI as one of the best managed chambers in Asia. CCCI achieved unprecedented financial performance when its P13M building loan was fully paid.

 

2004

• CCCI got its initial global exposure when Cebu Business Month became a finalist in the World Chambers Competition for “Best Chamber Management and Financing Project” in Durban, South Africa.
• CIDA-PEARL 2 Business in Growth (BIG) was implemented to enhance SMEs competitiveness by conducting seminars, trade fairs and policy studies.

 

2005

• CCCI entered into a joint project with Cebu Provincial Government under its Tourism Promotion Program dubbed as the “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo” which until now has been sustained by the Province.
• ICT Council was created after the successful and the biggest ICT Conference in the Philippines which was held in Cebu City. The Spa and Wellness Association of Cebu was organized after the conduct of the 1st Beauty, Health and Wellness Show which made Cebu as the emerging health and wellness capital outside Manila.
• CCCI was awarded again as the “Most Outstanding Chamber of the Philippines” during the Philippine Business Conference and Exposition held in Manila.

 

 

2006

• CCCI became the first chamber in the Philippines and the 4th in Asia to garner an ISO 9001:2000 Certification for its Quality Management System with the assistance of the German Development Service (DED).
• CCCI implemented its SME Development & Promotion Project, “Meet the Business Legend” which helps starting and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing a venue for close interaction with notable and established business leaders from prestigious companies.
• CCCI co-hosted the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit with the PCCI.
• CCCI was hailed by PCCI as the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Philippines” for two years in a row.

2007

• CCCI received award from the City Government of Cebu as the “Most Outstanding Institution” in the City of Cebu.
• CCCI conducted its first international outbound trade mission in Daly City, USA.
• For the third time, CCCI was awarded as the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Philippines” by PCCI. The Chamber’s second elevation to the “Hall of Fame” made it the most respected local chamber in the country.

2008

• CCCI received its first international award as the “Best Local Chamber in the Asia-Pacific –Large Category” during the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) Conference in Manila, besting other local chambers in the said region.
• CCCI further established a metrical basis for its vision of global competitiveness through the conduct of the Touchstone: Competitiveness & Benchmarking Study and strengthened its research arm through the founding of the Cebu Economic Advisory Group (CEAG) and the establishment of the Regional Trade Policy Center under the British Government funded PCCI-UACT-IMUST Project.
• CCCI also conceived the Sectoral Participation for Economic Advocacy (SPEAK) and was implemented the following year.

 

2009

• CCCI partnered with Germany’s Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation (AFOS) and SEQUA, the implementing partner of the Federation of Catholic Entrepreneurs (BKU) in Germany aims to improve the business environment of the chambers in the Visayas and Mindanao for SME development.
• CCCI passed the surveillance audit under its ISO 9001:2000 Certification and the assessment of its Quality Management System for the sixth time in three years.
• Cebu City Council passed City Ordinance no. 2170 in January 7, 2009 renaming to Commerce and Industry Streets from 11^th and 13^th Streets where the CCCI Center was built in 1996.
• CCCI unveiled the new street names “Commerce St. and Industry St.”, the said streets were in front of the CCCI Center Building. CCCI was conferred by the Philippines Foundation, Inc. as the “Perlas Award on the Valuable Institution” for promoting entrepreneurship in tourism and technology, upholding professional values and ethics in the business community and establishing worthwhile international partnerships.

2010

• CCCI was declared as the Over-all Winner – Developing Nations Category in the Associations Make a Better World Award given by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Center for Association Leadership.
• CCCI received the ISO 9001:2008 Certification on Quality Management System.

2011

• CCCI won the hosting rights for the 26th Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) Conference in 2013.
• Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas
• Most Outstanding in the Philippines

2012

• Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas
• Most Outstanding in the Philippines

2013

• Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas
• Most Outstanding in the Philippines
• Most Outstanding Chamber “Hall of Fame”