Cebu Daily News / Enterprise

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view_article.php?article_id=170814

Cebu, Spain talk business Cebu Daily News Posted date: November 07, 2008 Noting that business relations are possible with any country, members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) met with some Spain-based companies to discuss trade opportunities on Wednesday. “The business matching event will provide selling opportunities for CCCI small and medium enterprises and large businesses (to) keep them upbeat with present global business trends and create paths for new business and market expansion,” said CCCI president Edward Gaisano in a press statement. The business matching was held at the sidelines of the two-day 4th Tribuna España Filipinas forum at Casino Español. Tribuna is an annual forum between Spain and the Philippines. It gathers representatives from government, business, academe and civil society to discuss issues that will enhance the relationship of the two countries. There were at least 12 Spanish companies and 30 Spanish delegates at the forum. At least 30 local businessmen were also present at the event. Clarito Fruelda, CCCI vice president for external affairs, said he met with two companies involved in the production of waste management equipment and specialized vehicles for mobile broadcasting. “We are still in the introductory stage. They tell us what their companies do and we tell them the trends going on in the Philippines. We're trying to survey and study both sides but I think that these companies are quite serious to do business here,” he told Cebu Daily News. Fruelda said the chamber can act as a conduit between the Spanish company and Philippine or Cebu-based companies or local government units, who may want to examine the services or products of these companies. A highlight event of the Tribuna forum, which ended yesterday, was the signing of a sister-city agreement between Barcelona and Cebu. /Reporter Cris Evert B. Lato