CCCI pushes for SWAC revival

Noting the rising demand for wellness services, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pushing for the revival of one of its baby organizations, the Spa Wellness Association of Cebu (SWAC).

CCCI president Melanie Ng said that it is high time for industry players to work together and take advantage of the growing demand for wellness services in Cebu.

Ng said SWAC should be back on its feet again, stressing that apart from the demand for wellness services, and products, such as spa outlets, organic farms, and related services, the sector has also become “one of the major tourist attractions for Cebu.”

Earlier, spa operator Johnie Lim called on industry operators in Cebu to join hands in re-creating an organization that would help strengthen the lucrative wellness industry in Cebu.

Lim who founded one of the largest spa chains in the country, Body & Sole Franchise Corporation, expressed his willingness to take the lead in reviving SWAC, which has taken a hiatus for quite a while now.

"We need a unifying organization to act as the mouthpiece of the industry now. I am the one calling the shots for now," Lim said in an earlier interview.

Aside from CCCI, the Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC) also earlier expressed its interest to help the re-birth of SWAC.

CHWC vice chairperson for the dental sector Clarissa Pe, said that it is vital for the spa sector to have a stronger voice, especially this time that Cebu's positioning as wellness destination is gaining momentum.

Lim was the founding president of SWAC but the organization has been inactive for several years due to internal conflict among members.

This time, Pe added that a strong industry voice is needed to encourage the government to maximize the potential of the Philippines as a total retirement, wellness, and medical tourism hub.