PCCIFI bags Most Outstanding Chamber of the Philippines 2012 award

By Alma L. Tingcang

PAGADIAN CITY, October 23 (PIA) - - Two awards in a row!

The Pagadian-Zamboanga del Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (PCCIFI) scored a milestone since its reorganization in 2006 when it  bagged the Most Outstanding Chamber in Mindanao in the recently concluded  Philippine Business Conference at the Manila Hotel on October 9 -11.

Not only that,  PCCIFI also won the Most Outstanding Chamber of the Philippines 2012 winning an edge over Olongapo City as its closest  contender.

“Our efforts really paid off. I owe it to my professional staff, Ms. Dixie Sarmiento and Mr. Jason Pescadera, to the city government under the able leadership of Mayor Samuel S. Co and partner agencies who contributed much to the success of our programs and activities,” Ms. Mercedes Lourdes S. Quisumbing, PCCIFI president humbly said.

The biggest income-earner for the chamber was the 20^th Mindanao Business Conference on Sept. 7-9, 2011, earning approximately P2.5 Million.  Simultaneous with the event was the Trade Exhibit with 20 corporate and 10 local exhibitors who participated in the event.

Aware of its corporate social responsibility, PCCIFI provided financial support to victims of typhoon “Sendong”; advocacy on child labor, ensuring that child labor will not be practiced in its member establishments; road parking painting along the city’s major thoroughfares and feeding program at Lingap Center, a shelter for abused children.

The leadership and dynamism of the PCCIFI played a pivotal role in local economic development and enabled businessmen to have a better interaction leading to faster responses on areas of concern. 

“We have to continue with what we are doing, we will institutionalize activities like the Business Week celebration, use of the chamber office as Pagadian Business Center to showcase the city’s products and other advocacies which we have started,” Quisumbing explained.

She added that they have organized the Margosatubig Chamber of Commerce in the 2^nd district and Molave for the 1^st district of Zamboanga del Sur.

“We are planning to have a survey of business establishments in urban barangays for the Philippine Business Registry and we’re still looking for partners in this endeavor. We have observed that new businesses are not registered, only old ones are renewing. This is one way of bringing more money to the city’s coffers,” Quisumbing said.

PCCIFI also conducted the Business Permits and Licensing Streamlining  minimizing the processing to 5 steps in 3 hours when it used to be a grueling 15 steps and 30 days to wait for its approval.

Indeed the PCCIFI merits the award but it will not rest on its laurels. It will continue to lobby policy reforms, infrastructure development, peace and order, environmental concerns and other issues it deems essential to the development of the city and the province as well. (ALT-PIA9/Zambo Sur)