with Dr. Alberto P. Fenix & Ruben A. Vegafria
Two luminaries of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) recently shared their insights into the future of regional chambers during the Chamber Development Workshop, a pre-conference activity of the 35th Mindanao Business Conference held 11 August 2026 at The Atrium, Limketkai Mall, Limketkai Center Business District, Bgy. Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
The workshop focused on strengthening the capacity, continuity, and impact of Mindanao’s chambers through leadership succession, membership development, policy advocacy, sustainability, and community impact.
In his opening statement, Dr Alberto P. Fenix, Jr., PCCI Honorary President & Senior Adviser, and current Director for the Philippine Chamber Development Institute (PhilCDI) cited the workshop theme “The Future-Proof Chamber: Legacy and Impact,” as both timely and relevant.
“As Chamber Development Director, I have the privilege of working closely with our local chambers. While every chamber has its own story, challenges, and priorities, one thing remains true: strong chambers do not happen by chance. They are built through committed leadership, sound governance, active membership, and a clear sense of purpose,” Dr. Fenix stressed.
Two Critical Areas
Building the Bench. Every successful chamber must prepare its next generation of leaders. Leadership succession should never happen by accident. It should be intentional. We need to cultivate future leaders who can bring fresh ideas while learning from the experience and wisdom of those who came before them. Across Mindanao, we are fortunate to see a healthy mix of seasoned and emerging leaders, and our goal is to ensure that every local chamber develops that same leadership pipeline.
The Social Impact: Canvas for Sustainability — Becoming a Community Catalyst. Encouraging chambers to redefine their value proposition beyond traditional business networking and strengthen their role as community catalysts for sustainable development and inclusive growth.
“Today’s chambers must do more than organize networking events. We must become trusted partners in local development. We have excellent examples within our own network. Chambers like Oro Chamber, Davao CCI, and GenSan CCI have shown how chambers can convene government, academe, and the private sector; help MSMEs access new markets and digital opportunities; and champion important issues such as energy, resilience, and competitiveness. Their success demonstrates what every chamber can aspire to become,” Dr. Fenix noted.
Strengthening the Foundations
Every strong chamber begins with good governance. Dr Fenix encouraged the local chambers to ask themselves some honest questions:
Do we have an active and engaged Board of Trustees?
Are we growing and retaining our membership?
Are we compliant with our SEC requirements?
Are we actively participating in PCCI programs and fulfilling our responsibilities as members of the national chamber?
“These may seem like basic questions, but they determine the health and credibility of every chamber. We cannot effectively represent the voice of business if we have not first strengthened our own institutions,” he added.
Chamber Health Check
Dr Fenix next presented a Chamber Health Check as an opportunity to assess where the chambers are today, identify areas for improvement, and map out practical steps toward becoming stronger and more impactful organizations.
Of the seven (7) PCCI regional areas in Mindanao, Central Mindanao has the best scorecard with 100% (4 of 4 accredited chambers) complied with 7 of the 8 parameters in the matrix.
Tied for second were Western Mindanao 83% (5 of 6); and, Eastern Mindanao 83% (5 of 6); followed by; BARMM 75% (3 of 4); Northern Mindanao 71% (5 of 7); Southeastern Mindanao 70% (7 of 10); and Southwestern Mindanao 60% (3 of 5).
The seven (7) local chambers which complied with all eight parameters in the matrix were Pagadian ZDS CCIFI; CCI of Iligan; Davao Chamber; Davao del Sur Chamber; GenSan CCI; Tandag CC1; and greater Midsayap CCI.
“For me, it was, a rightful commendation of some local chambers who did exceedingly well; a fair recognition for those who simply believed in status quo; and a stern statement for those chambers that exist, but are not functional,” observed former PCCI Northern Mindanao Regional Governor and former Oro Chamber President Ruben A. Vegafria.
“By using the said presentation as reference, we hope that, through this workshop, we can find the right formula in making our chamber responsive, not only conform to what its mandates dictate, but transform itself, ultimately, into becoming a vibrant organization and influential voice of business in its respective areas,” he added.
Vegafria also concurred with Dr Fenix on strengthening the chambers’ leadership pipeline.
“A sustainable chamber should not depend on only a few individuals. We need to intentionally identify and develop emerging leaders, transfer institutional knowledge, and prepare the next generation to take on greater responsibilities.”
“The objective is to move from accidental leadership to intentional leadership development – so that leadership transition becomes a strength rather than a challenge.”
He similarly noted how “The Social Impact: Canvas for Sustainability” session challenges the chambers to look beyond activities and ask themselves how their chambers create meaningful value.
“Membership, networking, training, business matching, and advocacy remain important. But ultimately, we should also be able to demonstrate the impact of these efforts on our members, businesses, and communities,” he emphasized.
To strengthen the chamber’s value proposition – from being a business network to becoming a community catalyst, Vegafria said they should move from simply measuring what we do to understanding what changes because of what we do..
Following these sessions, we will bring our discussions together through “The Commitment to Mindanao”. The goal is for every participant and every chamber to leave with concrete commitments that can be carried forward beyond this workshop.
“Our responsibility as chamber leaders is not only to make our organizations successful today. We are also stewards of institutions that must remain relevant and sustainable for the leaders who will come after us.
That is the essence of legacy. And when our legacy creates meaningful and measurable change for our members, our communities and Mindanao, that is impact.”
In conclusion, he shared a famous quotation from US Pres. Abraham Lincoln “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
“Together, let us continue building chambers that are not only sustainable and well-governed, but also trusted partners in the economic development of Mindanao and the country,” Dr Fenix bade the workshop participants in closing.
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That’s a really interesting point about legacy – it’s crucial for chambers to understand how past decisions shape their current strategies.