JOSE LUIS YULO JR. President

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

Probably, this is a little known fact but it is interesting to know that the country’s oldest business institution is not the more popular groups that we have right now. It is the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI) whose iconic white building is located along the Magallanes Drive in Intramuros.

CCPI, or more popularly referred to as the Chamber, was founded in 1886 by King Alfonso XII through Queen Regent Maria Cristina.

CCPI has survived the test of time and has been revitalized. Its leadership is now entrusted to Jose Luis Yulo Jr., serving as the chamber’s 60th president of the centuries-old business institution.

CHAMBER OF HISTORY Building on the recognition by the National Historical Commission as a “Historical Landmark Building” and “Oldest Business Institution” in the country, Yulo vowed to continue to rekindle and reposition itself as the “Chamber of History.”

The Chamber’s history showed that in April 9, 1886, the King of Spain issued a Royal Decree creating “Camara” as institutions for all Spanish colonies. This paved the way for the creation of the Camara de Commercio de Manila on May 24, 1887, which was approved by Queen Regent Maria Cristina.

On June 19, 1915, the ESCRITURA Social de la Camara de Comercio de las Islas Filipinas was ratified. Almost two decades after, the title of the property where its building now stands was issued to the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands. Three years after, a three-story building structure was inaugurated.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a certificate on October 5, 1964 recognizing the Chamber’s existence since 1915.

In 1978, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) was created when the martial law government asked the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine (CCP) and the Philippine Chamber of Industries (PCI) to unite. PCI dissolved itself, while CCP changed its name to Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Foundation and transferred some of its projects and activities to the PCCI, while continuing its existence and other activities.

New business alliances have been formed and PCI has re-emerged as the Federation of Philippine Industries. On September 23, 2011, the SEC extended the Chamber’s life for another 50 years or until 2061 as Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands. Two years after in 2014, three markers were unveiled reflecting the historical evolution of the Chamber.

The Chamber also repositioned itself with the slogan “History Builds the Future 2030: Five Pillars.” Along with its rebranding, the Chamber also confers honorary members to firms and individual entrepreneurs who have been operating for 25 years or more in recognition of their contributions to the national economy.

As such they can participate in the Chamber’s programs and activities, notably on trade missions, international linkages, lecture series, training and business promotions and other projects.

Yulo is treading on the path of unbroken roster of presidents led by business luminaries and civic leaders, with Don Joaquin Elizalde as its first president in 1886.

“History builds the future” was how Yulo describes the chamber’s new found enthusiasm for the future. The future on which CCPI stands on at present makes it more compelling for the new leadership to pursue its mission with more vigor.

With the leadership of Yulo and the board of directors, Chamber is guided by its slogan “History Builds the Future 2030: Five Pillars” which serve as instruments for economic growth.

PILLARS

The first pillar — the Filipino and Education, the chamber envisions that every Filipino to be on top of the world and seeks with access to the best education, engineering, universal moral values, good manners and right conduct and implicative thinking and be tri-lingual: fluent in correct English and correct Tagalog plus another language/ dialect.

Every Filipino must be among the best in the world in at least one profession, one skill, or one talent, with at least a High School K-12 education and college and post-college graduates comprising 25 percent of the population.

Every Filipino must have ingrained patriotism and integrity, Filipino values balanced with universal values and carries himself with good manners and dignified respect.

The second pillar is Philippine Government under its advocacy of “Shame No More.”

CCPI expects only the best, the brightest, the most honest and a dedication to serve only the citizenry.

The chamber has also a strong opinion on the controversial mining industry in the country.

It seeks that the mining of natural resources is given only to companies that will set up factories that use said natural resources in the manufacturing of end-products within the country.

“This needs a paradigm shift in our thinking and our laws,” says Yulo.

He also called for respect for the rule of law and sanctity of contracts with no-nonsense judiciary and where peace and order, protection of life, liberty, property, the country’s territory and security are guaranteed.

The chamber also expects that management, efficiency, professionalism and integrity in the delivery and implementation of government services, especially front services in direct contact with the people, top quality, transparent and the procedures/documentation required are clear and easy for the people to comply with.

Third, CCPI believes that infrastructure and environment must be comparable with the best in the world with disaster prevention features against earthquake and flooding and are user friendly. Once this is accomplished, he expects the achievement of “heaven on earth.”

On the more pragmatic order of things, Yulo envisions disciplines on the streets where vehicles load and unload only on designated areas away from the roads and sidewalks and are dispatched sequentially and not simultaneously.

“All that comprises the environment must be fit for a healthy and pleasing quality of life comparable to the best in the world, where God-given attractions are preserved and properly maintained and their development for tourism and other uses be controlled /subjected to capacity limits,” says Yulo.

With the geographic uniqueness of the country where islands are earthquake prone and subject to typhoons, the Chambers hopes to take advantage of this dire situation instead.

This means creating the best airports, seaports, highways and ICT to seamlessly connect the many islands, integrating unique modern technologies and engineering to build disasterproof infrastructure with proper spaces and spacing and disaster recovery preparedness.

The fourth is for Philippine businesses to be become global conquerors.

CCPI noted that truly Philippineowned businesses are those 51 percent owned by Filipinos. They should be dominant in market share and revenues in businesses of national and substantive importance and are operating globally.

To become global conquerors, the Chamber said that Philippine-made products and services should be Philippine-branded and exported worldwide. Majority of Filipino businesses can also list in the Philippine Stock Exchange to enable others to become part owners of these companies, making these enterprises more inclusive.

The Chamber also aims that Philippine-based companies are leaders in software engineering and hardware manufacturing of industries that equity in companies and earn honest dividends will connect our islands.

Then the Chamber ventured into recommending the development of short haul seacraft, short haul aircraft and information and communication technologies.

Last but not the least is the economy which CCPI said could not remain as mere cocobananas but an “economy that uses its minerals and natural resources as inputs to value-added manufacturing of finished products within the country.”

Yulo envisions a Philippine economy that is diverse, self-sufficient in food, creating wealth from manufacturing, niche upstream services, tourism, and intellectual property.

But CCPI also sees it critical that the economy is effectively 51 percent controlled by Filipinos.

This is to support the Philippine economy as among the Top 50 percent of countries worldwide in GDP per capita, Gross Happiness Index and other global standards on poverty and well-being.

The Chamber hopes that the new administration led by Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte and the Filipino populace will support, imbibe and implement the Five Pillars.

“This will bring about a strong economy that is diverse, self-sufficient in food, creates wealth for various sectors that is effectively controlled by Filipinos, but at the same time balanced out by foreign competitive participation,” said Yulo.

NETWORK

The Chamber has never been busy. This year alone, CCPI introduced business opportunities as it presented by Thailand, Malaysia, and Israel, among others for various networking activities and missions.

The recent events where members participated included the Economic and Technology Mission for Slovenia.

CCPI also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding with Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Italian Chamber of Commerce for South-East Asia and the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialist of Turkiye and the Confederacion Espanola de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE).

In signing these MOUs, the Chamber and its counterparts are bound to “develop mutually beneficial relations on economy, foreign trade, business opportunities and legislation and assist in the conduct of visiting business missions, conventions and exhibitions.”

The Chamber likewise signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the South-South Global Assets and Technology Exchange and the Federation of Phlippine Industries, Inc. which among others will “conduct dialogues and meetings on how best they can address economics concerns and challenges affecting their industry members.”

During the last national elections, the Chamber joined forces with GMA Network for “Eleksyon 2016” under an MOU signed in October, 2015.

One of the programs that the Chamber is pursuing is the development of business incubation that can assist new entrepreneurs in accessing foreign markets and to support the development of new business in the country.

The Chamber is also currently involved as one of the partners in holding the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce Trade Mission, the ALB Philippine Law Awards, Cards & Payments, E-Commerce how, Retail World Philippines 2016 and the Asian Venture Capital Journal Forum at the Fairmont Makati Hotel.

60TH PRESIDENT

Yulo who assumed the presidency of the Chamber in 2010 brought in the institution a rich background and wealth of experience being an administrator, CEO, entrepreneur, civic leader, diplomat and a teacher.

He co-founded and managed of the Philippine Center for International Trade and Exhibits (PHILCITE), the first trade exhibit center of the country.

An author of a book on trade exhibits, he likewise had a stint as a professor of the MBA class of De La Salle University and a visiting lecturer at the Thurderbird Graduate School in Arizona, USA.

His past positions include being president/and or chairman of Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc., Philippine Central Depository, Philippine International Trading Corp. and secretary-general of ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry, among others.

A co-founding member of ABAC- the APEC Business Advisory Council, he was appointed as Philippine representative by Presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Arroyo.

For his exemplary works and contribution to society, he was given by the Philippine Marketing Association the Agora Award, while the Letran Alumni Association gave him the Outstanding Professional Award and was featured by Asia Week Magazine as “Exhibition King.”

A University of the Philippines BA in Political Science graduate, he likewise holds a Masters degree in Business Management from Asian Institute of Management and an Advance Management Certificate from Stanford University, USA.

At this time when the economy is buoyant and vibrant and the strong political will of the Duterte administration, CCPI sees this opportunity to be more active in its advocacies.

There is no better time for the Chamber to push its advocacies than when the economy is experiencing a resurgence in manufacturing and new services.

This is the best time to continue building that history.