Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands
Tagalog trans.: Bulwagang Pangkalakal
ng mga Lupaing Pilipinas | |
Chamber Building | |
| Abbreviation | CCPI |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Chamber |
| Formation | April 9, 1886 |
| Founders |
|
| Founded at | Manila |
| Type | Non-profit |
Professional title | The Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands |
| Headquarters | The Chamber Building, Paseo de Magallanes 3, Intramuros, 1002 Manila, PH |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 14°35′41″N 120°58′34″E / 14.59465°N 120.97615°E |
Region served | National |
Official language | English (current) Spanish (historical) |
| Owner | Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands |
Main organ | COMMERCE Magazine |
| Website | thechamber.ph |
Formerly called | La Cámara de Comercio de las Islas Filipinas |
| Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands headquarters | |
|---|---|
The Chamber Bldg., façade | |
Interactive map of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands headquarters area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 14°35′40″N 120°58′34″E / 14.5944887°N 120.9761999°E, No. 3 Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Brgy U 56 Zone 49, Manila, Philippines |
| Inaugurated | 1937 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Juan Arellano |
Interactive map of Magallanes Drive | |
| Former name | Paseo de Magallanes |
| Namesake | Fernando Magallanes |
| Maintained by | Intramuros Administration |
| Length | 0.632 km (0.393 mi) |
| Location | Intramuros, Manila |
| East end | N150 (Liwasang Bonifacio) |
| West end | N1 (Plaza Mexico (Manila) towards Bonifacio Drive) |
The Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands, originally known as La Cámara de Comercio de las Islas Filipinas is the provenance and oldest business institution in the Philippines, founded in 1886.
The Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI) has its origins in the Spanish period from a Royal decree by the king of Spain, Alfonso XII through the Queen Regent Maria Christina when "Cámara" institutions were throughout the Spanish colonies; and the Camara was established by this decree on April 9, 1886. On June 17, 1887, its statutes and bylaws were initially approved by the Gobierno Superior of the Philippines, and finally approved by the Queen Regent Maria Cristina on February 9, 1888. Henceforth the Cámara de Comercio de las Islas Filipinas held its first General Assembly and elected the following officers on May 24, 1887.
| President: | D. Joaquín María Elizalde |
| Vice President: | D. Gonzalo Tuason |
| Sentador (Secretary): | D. Manuel Franco |
| Treasurer: | D. José María Echeita |
| Secretary General: | D. Joaquín Santamarina |
Sr. Don Francisco Godínez succeeded the founding president Sr. Don Joaquín María Elizalde in 1890, followed by Sr. Don José de Echeita in 1895. After the Spanish–American War in 1898 as conflicts subsided, on July 19, 1903, the Camara de Comercio de Manila held a session wherein Sr. Luis Hidalgo, Sr. Teodoro Yangco, Sr. Vicente Somoza and Sr. Faustino Lichauco called forth a meeting to create a Filipino Chamber of Commerce and thus, Cámara de Comercio Filipina was born. In the said meeting, Don Francisco Reyes was elected as the President.
The "Cámara de Comercio Filipina" held its first session and elected Governor General William Howard Taft as the Honorary President. The Chamber ushered advocacies, programs and projects from its founding in 1886, towards edifying the Philippines as "Pearl of the Orient", a description coined by the Spanish Jesuit historian Juan Delgado in 1751 and phrased by José Rizal in his final poem, "Mi Último Adiós" for its culture and historical significance.