Brief History

Written by Secretariat

Tuesday, 21 August 2007

The national euphoria following the 1986 EDSA Revolution has sent a wave of optimism through all sectors, especially the business community, even in the countryside. In this upbeat atmosphere was born the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce and Industry, forerunner of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham), in October 1988. Founder Levy P. Laus and fellow first officers of the newly-formed traders chamber held their simple historic induction program at the newly opened Tire City in Dolores, San Fernando. Adding lusted to the occasion was the presence of the Speaker Jose de Venecia as their guest of honor. For the most part, the SFCCI took on basic business concerns like taxes, government policies and peace and order. Later, as the group evolved, a vision began to emerge on the horizon, presaging the development of what was then a strategic but backwater capital town into a flourishing business hub in Central Luzon. In no time, the vision gave rise to a growth enclave that soon became a buzz of the town: "Dolores City" One of the first visible efforts of SFCCI in promoting development was the lighting of the MacArthur Highway and the Gapan-San fernando Olongapo road in "Dolores City". The project was meant more than just to brighten up the major thoroughfares. It was aimed to bring people to a new level of awareness and involvement in the development of their community. The deep grounding og SFCCI in the development of San Fernando led to the changing of organization's personality to something as endearing as its new name conveyed: Lugud San Fernando Movement. Eventually, this grounding would be further challenged with the biggest and most daunting test ever to face the capital town since its founding nearly 250 years ago. The cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 inevitably pushed the Lugud toward a more critically role not only in promoting business in the capital town but in protecting it from the adversities brought about by the huge calamity. At first, the group confined itself in the forefront of inviting businessman, allaying fears that lahar would pose a real problem to the community. At the same time, it kept close watch on the lahar situation in close linkage with concerned agencies, particularly the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). When the lahar problem became a real threat to the community, the Lugud leaders felt that promoting business development was virtually already a losing proposition. The community must be saved from lahar devastation first before anything else. In the face of this awesome challenge the Lugud morphed into a new organization, the Save San Fernando Foundation, Inc. The Save spearheaded a multi-sectoral campaign to protect the town and other nearby municipalities from lahar destruction. It managed to raise P20 million from all sectors to fund various activities and projects, including the establishment of emergency engineering interventions against deadly lahar flows. Eventually, the relentless advocacy of the Save helped pave the way for the construction of the multi-billion 54-kilometer FVR megadike that finally stopped lahar flows from engulfing the capital town and downstream communities. Sometime in 2002, with the lahar threat now practically over, the need to reorganize the Save back to its original self as the SFFCI became a practical necessity. In late August this year, Mr. Levy P. Laus decided to organize PamCham together with prominent traders and professionals like Mr. Rene G. Romero, Teresa D. Carlos Ferdinand Z. Caylao, Edgardo E. Chua, Jay Victoriano Cruz, Peter D. Garbes JR., Adriano V. Gulapa, Antonio O. Koh, Alfrito D. Mah, Jesus S. Nicdao, Cezar C. Ocampo, Antonio C. Rodriguez, Jr,. Amor Silva, Ruben A. Sy and others who eventually composed the local chamber's core officers. From there, things happened fast and furious. On September 9, the first organizational meeting as held, followed two weeks later by a series of orientation for its members at the Laus Group Corporate Center. On October 3, PamCham (originally named PACCI) was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. On October 10, PamCham's first set of officers attended the regional area conference conducted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dagupan City. On October 16, the PCCI approved PamCham's membership. For its vision, PamCham is geared to being the effective single voice of commerce and industry and catalyst in priming countryside business in the province of Pampanga and making it globally competitive. It's a great vision fully in keeping with the original mandate and historic role that the local chamber has been able to perform creditably through the years.

 

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