For the first time ever, women leaders are at the helm of the two largest business organizations in Northern Mindanao.
The Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) inducted into office Monday, 16 December 2018, Dr., Irene La Victoria Floro, Ph.D. as its second woman president. Also recently appointed to the post of Executive Director of the same organization was Queritess Q. Queja.
Oro Chamber President Dr. Irene L. V. Floro, Ph.D.
Ms. Floro aims to bring her expertise and experience as an entrepreneur front and center for her coming term as Oro Chamber President.
“I really want to help micro and small businesses to have access to good financing, technology and markets that the Oro Chamber can facilitate for them,” Ms. Floro said. “We need to sell Cagayan de Oro Business in other countries. I would like to field focused trade missions to Europe, Russia, China and the United States. And I will invite the local governments of Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental to be active in those trade missions.”
Floro is the President and CEO of International Labor Force-Skills Mastery Inc. and also heads in various capacities seven other of her companies engaged in food processing, trading, security services, manpower, petroleum products distribution and education. Prior to her election, she served as the Vice President and Sectoral Representative in the Oro Chamber Board of Trustees for Business Support Organizations.
Together with Region X Governor Maria Teresa R. Alegrio of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the all-woman team of business leaders in Northern Mindanao’s leading business organizations has taken another step forward towards gender parity and empowerment.
PCCI-10 Regional Governor Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio
“For 2019, PCCI Northern Mindanao will focus on monitoring the implementation of the expansion project of Laguindingan Airport, the Panguil Bay Bridge, and the completion of several Build, Build, Build projects for the region such as the Ala-e Phividec Bypass Road, widening of the Iligan-Butuan-Cagayan Road (ICBR) and the Cagayan and Tagoloan Rivers Flood Control Projects,” Ms. Alegrio said.
“We shall also focus on the Ease of Doing Business Law, and help empower chambers of commerce in the region to enable them to assist their respective LGUs in the automation or digital processing of local permits and licenses,” she added.
Ms. Alegrio, the community relations officer of STEAG State Power, Inc. (SPI) blazed a trail for women leaders in business in 2011 when she became not only the first woman president of the Oro Chamber, but also its first former secretary general who was elected as its chief executive.
The Oro Chamber had its first woman secretary general with Marilou Flores in 1997. After Ms. Alegrio, Dr. Heidi Grace Mendoza, Ph.D. (who now officially represents Capitol University in the Oro Chamber) served in the same capacity from 2006-2008. Ms. Lordilie Enjambre served as Executive Director (as the position was renamed by the Board of Trustees) from 2008-2013. With her recent appointment, Ms. Queja becomes the fifth lady secretary general/executive director of the Oro Chamber.
Oro Chamber Executive Director Queritess Q. Queja
Besides being an entrepreneur herself, Ms. Queja is the co-chair of the City Poverty Reduction Action Team (CPRAT) of the Cagayan de Oro City Government. Concurrently she serves the Norminveggies Marketing Cooperative as its Marketing Director, and various other agri-business organizations.
“I want to reach out to the business sector through the Oro Chamber to also actively involve its members in our CPRAT advocacies to reduce poverty and encourage micro entrepreneurs,” she said.
Prior to her stint with STEAG, Ms. Alegrio rose through the ranks as one of the professional staffers of the Oro Chamber, starting as manager of the Philippine German Chamber Cooperation Program in 1991, became senior manager for Membership and Business Development Services in 1993, before returning to serve as secretary general in 1999-2001.
Ms. Alegrio was also instrumental in raising awareness of electricity consumers about the performance-based regulation for utility companies, in partnership with Konsumanteng Kagay-anon, Inc. (KKI) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) which resulted in a reduction of rates for all consumers within the franchise area of the Cagayan Electric Power & Light, Co. in 2011.
Ms. Alegrio has also served as a member of the board of trustees of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan and served as Vice President for Manufacturing and Industry Sector of the Oro Chamber for three consecutive terms.
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