Casa Del Mar Golf & Dive Hotel
Cebu, Philippines

Business and Shopping In Cebu

Next to Metro Manila, Cebu is home to the highest number of national and international corporations. More than 80% of inter-Island shipping is now based in Cebu, and with most domestic air and sea linkages, Cebu is already the most accessible place to all points of the country. Cebu's growth rates, thanks to its exports and island government support and incentives, has averaged close to 20% higher than that of the entire nation. It would be foolhardy for companies seeking to conquer the entire archipelago to not have a setup in this major industrial, commercial, trade, and educational hub. The following companies have already claimed Cebu for their headquarters:

• Gaisano Group of Companies
• Aboitiz Group of Companies
• WG&A
• Norkis Group of Companies
• Bigfoot International
• Lexmark Philippines Inc.
• Lhuillier Jewellers
• The Waterfront Hotels Philippines Inc.
• Mitsumi
• Pentax Corporation
• Marine Colloids
• Fairchild Semiconductor
• Tsuneishi Heavy Industries
• Muramoto Audio-Visual
• Asahi Optical
• Teradyne
• NEC Technologies
• Timex
• Olympus Optical
• United Technologies
• Maithland-Smith
• Taiyo Yuden

Cebuano brands, including Penshoppe, Oxygen, and Island Souvenirs, have expanded to find viable national and international markets. Other homegrown brands that have found national expansion include Bo's Coffee Club, Julie's Bakeshop, and Orange Brutus.

Furniture. Cebu's rapidly expanding furniture industry has brought in tens of millions of pesos for the country. Small- to medium-sized enterprises are now being supported by Cebu's Department of Trade and Industry to encourage export expansion.

Information Technology. Many IT companies are setting up camp in Cebu as a site for outsourced labor (BPOs) and local IT service providers. The efforts to jumpstart Cebu's growth as Southeast Asia's premier information and communications technology (ICT) investment, software, and e-services hub, is spearheaded by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

SRP Special Economic Zone. The South Road Properties (SRP) Special Economic Zone, a 330-hectare prime real estate zone south of Cebu City that is envisioned to house a business district, a tourism zone, and an industrial area patterned after the nearby Mactan Export Processing Zone, is now in development. The main thoroughfare to take travelers there is the South Coastal Highway, a long stretch of national avenue that runs south, from downtown Cebu City to Talisay City. The South Coastal Highway's mouth is now undergoing renovation, with a 1.2 kilometer tunnel set to connect the highway with Sergio Osmeña Avenue, an important island thoroughfare that traverses the North Reclamation Area and connects to Ouano Avenue in New Mandaue City.

Shopping. There are several shopping centers within Cebu and Cebu City, all offering the kind of shopping experience that is found in Manila. Among the many shopping centers of note are:

• Ayala Center Cebu. This shopping mall in Cebu is an upscale shopping center located along Archbishop Reyes Street, Cebu Business Park, a prime business and financial center in Metro Cebu that includes Cebu City Marriott Hotel, City Sports Club Cebu and Park Tower Condominiums.
• SM City Cebu. Launched in November 1993, this Cebu shopping mall is located along the North Reclamation Area, Cebu City. With more than 161,562 sq. meters of space, this is one of the largest malls, not just in Cebu, but in the Philippines.
• Robinson's Place Cebu. Owned by the Gokongwei corporation, Robinson's Place Cebu is a posh shopping mall located along Fuente Osmeña corner Jones Avenue.
• Gaisano Malls. Popular in Cebu, the Gaisano malls have two branches in Cebu: the Gaisano Metro Cebu along Colon Street corner Juan Luna Street, and the Gaisano Mactan along the National Road, Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

When visiting Cebu, stay at the Casa del Mar Resort in Cebu. We offer, comfortable, affordable Cebu accommodations to fit your budget and taste.

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