In December 1982, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Regional Governor Dante P. Sarraga called a meeting of a group representing 25 firms to organize the Chamber of Commerce in Cagayan de Oro. Virgilio Neri, Sr. was elected as the Charter president.
The following year, the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Incorporated (Oro Chamber) organized and hosted the first conference on cottage, small and medium industries at the VIP Hotel.
Later that year, the passing of President Virgilio Neri, Sr. left a void in the leadership of this fledging organization. In October 1984, a new Board of Directors elected Aldrico T. Mañus as president. In July 10, 1985, the Board of Directors registered the organization with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and on October 29 of the same year, the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Incorporated (Oro Chamber) was listed with registry certificate number 12944.
On February 18, 1986, the Oro Chamber signed a partnership with Handwerkskammer Kassel (Kassel Chamber of Small Crafts and Trades) of Germany and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce Inc. for its inclusion in the Philippine-German Chamber Cooperation Program (PGCCP). Through the aegis of the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, GmbH (GTZ, or German Agency for Technical Assistance) and the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the PGCCP provided training, advisory, equipment and financial subsidies to both chambers.
On September of 1987, the first Secretary General of the Oro Chamber was hired in the person of Mr. Nestor J. Abanil.
What was originally designed to be a 3-year Assistance Program was extended to seven years with the Oro Chamber that we know today as its crowning achievement in Cagayan de Oro.
Guido Alfredo A. Delgado was elected president in 1988, with Ramid P. Gualberto succeeding Abanil as Secretary General for two years. Pres. Delgado kept the chamber at the forefront of lobbying on the issues that affected the business community.
In May 1991, Marriz Manuel B. Agbon succeeded Gualberto as Secretary General, and paved the way for further professionalizing the services of the chamber. Among its key accomplishments under Agbon’s tenure was the completion of the Master Plan for the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC) Special Development Project.
On August 1992, President Arsenio L. Sebastian III led the Oro Chamber in hosting the 1st Mindanao Business Conference (MINBIZCON) in Cagayan de Oro. Close to 400 delegates attended with His Excellency President Fidel V. Ramos as the Keynote Speaker.
Oro Chamber has so far hosted five Mindanao Business Conferences, the first ever in 1992, 1994, 2003, 2010, and 2017. The Chamber will again be hosting the 2026 MBC with the full support of the Cagayan de Oro LGU.
The succeeding years marked the unprecedented growth of the Oro Chamber as it improved its services to include the organization of business conferences, trade missions, management seminars and the conduct of market research studies. Prominent among these was the Agribusiness Systems Assistance Program (ASAP) which Oro Chamber implemented in 1992-1995 with the US Agency for International Development (USAID)
In 1993 and 1994, the Oro Chamber under the stewardship of the late Pres. Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras was recognized as the Most Outstanding Chamber in The Philippines by the PCCI.
During the incumbency of the next president Eduardo Pelaez in 1995, the Oro Chamber partnered with key government and multilateral aid agencies for the development of the agriculture sector in Northern Mindanao with key sectoral studies for the cattle and rice industries.
During Pelaez’s incumbency that the Oro Chamber was elevated to the PCCI Hall of Fame for Outstanding Chambers with its third consecutive recognition.
In 1996, President Roberto J. Togle, revived the chamber’s partnership with Handwerskskammer Kassel with the implementation of the Regional Chamber Development Program (RCDP) which sought to develop chambers in Iligan, Butuan, Ozamiz and Bukidnon.
By 1997, the late Pres. Arturo Mercader with Acting Secretary General Marilou Flores, continued Oro Chamber’s outreach program through the PEARL-CIDA dubbed as the Regional Chamber Strengthening Development Program. The chamber also acted as the secretariat for the Agro-Industry Sector of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) on 1997-1998.
When the late Pres. Jose M. Belen was elected president in 1999, the Oro Chamber revived the Oro Business Center in tandem with Secretary General Ma. Teresa A. Alegrio through the aegis of SWISSCONTACT. Through this project, over one thousand (1,000) SMEs underwent retooling and capability building programs.
During the same year, the Oro Chamber was selected as a public registration authority under the World Internet Secure Electronic Key (Wisekey) of Switzerland. Under this project, the Oro Chamber became the first Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines to issue digital signatures and certificates through eCommerce.
On April 20, 2006, Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO), represented by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Guillermo D. Luchangco, donated to the Oro Chamber a 2,800 square meter lot located at Pedro N. Roa Avenue, Pueblo de Oro Township, in Uptown Cagayan de Oro City.
The Deed of Donation was executed and signed by and between Mr. Luchangco, as the DONOR, and Mr. Ruben A. Vegafria, then President of the Oro Chamber, as the DONEE. The chamber building project wss conceptualized, planned, and implemented with the ceremonial ground breaking during Vegafria’s term as president in 2005-2006.
On June 7, 2006, the ground breaking for the Oro Chamber building was undertaken with Messrs. Luchangco and Vegafria, with notable personalities in attendance including then PCCI President Donald G. Dee, then Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano, then Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno, then Cagayan de Oro Representative Constantino G. Jaraula, PCCI VP for Mindanao & MinBC Chair Romeo J. Serra, PCCI Regional Governor for Northern Mindanao and chairman of the Mindanao Business Council.
The construction of the office building began in August 2007 during the presidency of Engr. Elpidio M. Paras, and was completed and officially occupied on June 2, 2008 during the term of President Rodolfo L. Meñes. The construction of the chamber building was made possible by savings it earned from the hosting of big events and partnerships with foreign funded projects.
On March 9, 2021, Pres. Vegafria authored a resolution unanimously approved by the 2021 Board of Trustees during its regular monthly meeting “To Grant Honorary Lifetime Membership to Mr. Luchangco, and naming the Board Room as the “GUILLERMO D. LUCHANGCO HALL” in recognition of his generous contribution and meritorious act of support to the aims and objectives of the Oro Chamber.
(Photo courtesy of PDO)
Launched in 2007, ORO BEST EXPO (Cagayan de Oro Business Enterprises, Services and Trade Exposition) is a flagship event of the Oro Chamber aimed at addressing the concerns of the regions Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises on Networking, Market Development, Policy Advocacy for Entrepreneurship and most importantly the growth and sustainability of the Chamber member companies.
On July 11, 2019, Oro Chamber launched an offshoot project to OROBEST EXPO known as OROBEST Innovation Program (Optimizing Regional Opportunities for Business Excellence through Science, Technology, and Innovation).
The first chamber-led innovation hub in the country, this program is a convergence of Oro Chamber, Department of Science and Technology Regional Office 10, Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office 10, the USAID STRIDE Program and the academia in building on solid ground to develop technology packages that would increase the productivity and competitiveness of participating business groups from our brightest and creative talents from pool of local resources in the academe.
The ultimate objective is for member-chamber’s first step to innovation through the adoption and commercialization of scientifically developed technology. This program came at the most opportune time during the global pandemic which spared no one.
From 2021 to 2023, the program was able to spinoffs 2 significant projects: OROBEST BRIDGE Program, providing assessment of business operations and innovation business plans to more than 100 MSMEs and OROBEST SPEED Program, a platform to pilot 15 MSMEs to penetrate the global marketplace like Amazon. To this day, the OROBEST Innovation Program has marked an indelible ink not only in the regional but also the national innovation ecosystem.
The 2022 Mindanao Food Congress, hosted by the Oro Chamber, was a significant event celebrating the vibrant food industry of Mindanao. Held in Cagayan de Oro City, the congress showcased the region’s rich agricultural produce, innovative food technologies, and emerging food businesses. The event aimed to foster collaborations among local producers, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders to promote sustainable growth and food security in Mindanao.
A notable highlight was the partnership with the Embassy of India in Manila, which served as the Host Country Partner. This collaboration facilitated cultural exchanges and introduced Indian culinary traditions and food innovations to the local food scene, enriching the congress experience. The event also featured forums, trade exhibits, and networking sessions, providing a platform for knowledge sharing and business opportunities. Co-hosted by the LGU of Cagayan de Oro City and the Mindanao Development Authority. Overall, the 2022 Mindanao Food Congress successfully underscored Mindanao’s potential as a food innovation hub and strengthened ties between local industries and international partners, paving the way for a more resilient and vibrant food sector in the region.
In 2023, Oro Chamber brought Cagayan de Oro to Manila centerstage as it hosted the Cagayan de Oro Investment Forum and the ORO BEST EXPO at Edsa Shangri-La Manila.
In 2024, Oro Chamber paved way to two notable events by hosting the “1st Housing and Construction Congress and Expo,” aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program – the government’s flagship housing project provides affordably-priced homes and lower monthly amortization costs through various subsidies for Filipino workers, and the “OROBEST EXPO Goes HALAL” which is also aligned with President Marcos Jr.’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda, the comprehensive Halal strategic plan which aims to tap into the economic potential of the Halal industry that is poised to double domestic and international output by 2028.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Misamis Oriental and the Oro Chamber launched the OROBEST Creative and Mindspace Center on December 23, 2024, at the Oro Chamber Business Development Center.
Funded by a P7.2-milion grant under DTI’s flagship program Shared Service Facilities (SSF), it aims to provide MSMEs with access to advanced machinery, equipment, and technical support under a shared system, enabling creative entrepreneurs to enhance product quality, foster innovation, and unlock new market opportunities. The shared facility is envisioned as a dynamic center for creativity and collaboration, addressing long-standing challenges faced by local MSMEs and the creative sector.
Through the years, Oro Chamber forged sister chamber agreements with West Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Indonesia), Fujian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (China), Gwangyang Chamber of Commerce and Industry (South Korea), Australia Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Tainan Chamber of Commerce (Taiwan), Filipino Chamber Commerce (Hawaii), American-Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida (USA), Mandaluyong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.
This year 2025 marks a significant milestone for the Oro Chamber as it celebrates its 40th founding anniversary. To date, Oro Chamber has had twenty-eight dedicated presidents. To our presidents, trustees, entrepreneurs, partners, stakeholders, and management, the legacy will live on for more years to come.
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