EXPO AIMS TO DRAW APEC GUESTS
The Expo Mandaue will run for 3 days at the Oakridge Pavilion showcasing best of the city’s products
With many factories located in Mandaue City, most of the products shown are those of high quality furniture, artwork and home decor Expo is jointly organized by the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the local government units of Mandaue and Cebu Province
AS THE second round of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Cebu began yesterday, Mandaue City officially opened the three-day “Expo Mandaue” last Wednesday at the Oakridge Pavillion on AS Fortuna St.
World-class furniture designs and artworks are featured in the exhibit that aims to promote local products of Mandaue City.
More than 50 companies, mostly in the furniture and handicrafts industry, brought their products to the Mandaue Expo in the Oakridge Pavilion to showcase “the best of Mandaue.”
The expo was organized by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI), Mandaue City Government and the Cebu Provincial Government.
“We made sure it will be in time with APEC because we want the delegates to come here,” said MCCI president Donato Busa, in an interview at the expo.
The APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting runs from Oct. 8 to 9 at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City. This will be followed by the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting on Oct. 11 to 13.
Marlene Bedia, executive director of the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said she hopes delegates to the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in neighboring Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City can visit the expo.
“Aside from showcasing the best of Mandaue, the goal of this expo is to connect our exhibitors to the international market,” she said in a press conference yesterday.
The city aims to become a producer of world-class products by 2020 and Busa believes showcasing them in an expo that will have international spectators can help some of the local products tap international markets.
Girlie Garces of the San Miguel Brewery, a member of the MCCI board of trustees, said another goal of the expo is to instill pride among Mandaue natives and residents.
“Look at us. We’re a small city but we’re doing our best. And this is our best,” she said, referring to the expo products.
Among the highlights of the expo is the wooden horse sculpture by artist and craftsman James Doran-Webb and a seat designed by Clayton Tugunon, eye-catching for its use of termite shelters.
Bedia said the Mandaue Expo is the first of its kind in the city. Past exhibits showcasing products from Mandaue City, she said, were organized by traders from Manila.
“This is our first home-grown exhibit and hopefully not the last,” she said, adding that the plan is to hold the exhibit once a year.
Ian Fresnido, a consultant of MCCI, said the expo complements the #IAmMandaue Shop, a project of the City and MCCI which exhibits local products and services all year round.
The City recently opened the first shop in City Times Square and will launch other branches in Parkmall, JCentre Mall and Pacific Mall next month.
Busa said they hope to hold next year’s expo at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
The chamber president said there is some P300 million from the National Government chanelled through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for the rehabilitation of the CICC, which was damaged by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in October 2013.
The amount was based on the program of works and estimates submitted by the Cebu Provincial Government and the Mandaue City Government to DTI.
The DTI has offered to rehabilitate the CICC to set up a Center for Industry and Trade Expositions. Mandaue City owns the lot where CICC, built in 2006, is standing. Busa expressed willingness of the chamber to manage the CICC should this become operational.
Bedia said that a permanent expo center will help local manufacturers connect with the international market, adding that Mandaue City excels when it comes to designs.