Some organizations existed without any predecessor organizations that led to their creation. But there are others which could trace its origin from many other organizations. This is the case with JCI Cebu, thus to trace how JCI Cebu was created, it must include the history of Junior Chamber International (JCI) and JCI Philippines (JCIP). To trace the what, the where, the when and the how of a Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycee) which led to the organization of both JCI and JCIP, it must include the history of the Jaycees from its beginning as Herculaneum Dance Club in 1910, then Young Men’s Progressive Association (YMPCA) in October 1915, then Junior Citizens in November 1915, and as Junior Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce in 1916 to the organization of the US Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1920 and Junior Chamber International in 1941. Hence, the first part was the formal organization of the Jaycees with it affiliation with the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce to the creation of Junior Chamber International while the second part was about the Junior Chamber International Philippines which was composed of twelve (12) chapters only in 1948, namely, (1) Manila Jaycees organized on December 20, 1947; (2) Cebu Jaycees, the first extension outside of Manila organized on April 18, 1948; and chapter numbers 3 to 12 (in alphabetical order): Bacolod, Cabanatuan, Capiz, Cavite, Davao, Iloilo, Lucena, San Pablo, Tacloban and Zamboanga, and at the end of 1949, the number increased to 22, with the addition of 10 chapters, namely: Aparri, Baguio, Basilan, Cotabato, Lipa, Kalibo, Koronadal, Laoag, Tarlac and Vigan;

After working as Assistant Consultant at Economic Development Foundation (EDF) at JMT Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, from 1974 to 1976, I joined the Aboitiz conglomerate working as a junior manager for one year in Pasig, and with an executive opening in 1977, moved to Cebu with my wife and seven-month-old daughter on May 1, 1977. It was my fortune that my Aboitiz principal was Manuel M. Moraza (JCI Senator 39797), who was a true-blooded Jaycee of Cebu first then Davao later. A year after my arrival in Cebu, I requested my principal to provide me opportunities to be in touch with young men my age (I was only 27 at that time) and knowing what I was looking for, he referred me to Cebu Jaycees, and gave full support by granting me company sponsorship of all expenses involved in being a member (annual membership dues, travelling expenses in attending conferences of all types, advertisements, etc.).

The first four Jaycees in Cebu Jaycees I became close to were Raul V. Del Mar, Laurito Malinao, Jesus B. Garcia Jr. and Santos Gil (three of the four are lawyers and I found out later, when I wrote the chapter history in 1998, that Fulvio C. Pelaez, Cebu Jaycees’ charter president was also a lawyer).

I started in 1978 as a baby Jaycee, then a Jaycee a year later. During the 1979 Presidency of Laurito Malinao, the project assigned to me were the Rondalla-Uke Contest among the young musicians of Cebu held on December 1, 1979, and the Metro Cebu Eco-Aide Project where 12 trash collection carts were turned-over to the Association of trash collectors (for recycling) in Cebu City held on December 23, 1979. Both these projects used the standard Jaycee SAPAE (Survey, Analyze, Plan, Act and Evaluate) process that took several previous months of work before date of implementation. Concurrently I was the Editor of the Nucleus and Board Secretary from 1979 (under Laurito Malinao, president) and 1980 (under Santos Gil, president). In 1979 I was awarded the Most Outstanding New Jaycee – Regional and National and awarded the Most Outstanding Jaycee – Regional and National. During the September 1980 chapter election, I was chosen by the General Assembly as Chapter President for 1981. These were the beginning of my commitment and involvement with the Jaycee movement.

As 1981 Chapter President, I worked with many young professionals to attain the goals and objectives of the chapter. Behind me were the full support of old timers, past chapter presidents, past officers and past members. To plan out the whole year’s activities, a strategic planning session was held a week after the election in September 1980, which plan were along the lines of the opportunities (individual, management, community, and international) provided to members. The first activity to be planned was the 33rd induction and turnover ceremonies which was successfully held on January 31, 1981, with keynote speech by chapter past president Marcelo B. Fernan (who later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Senate President of the Upper House of the Philippine Congress).

The whole Jaycee year from September 1980 to September 1981 were implementation of planned activities. On May 27-29, 1981, a big group of delegates from Cebu (our first taste of a Jaycee international conference) attended the JCI Asia-Pacific Conference hosted by Manila Jaycees. In the Visayas Area Conference held in August 1981, Cebu Jaycees garnered seven (7) awards, namely, Most Outstanding LOM – Cebu Jaycees, Most Outstanding LOM President, Efren S. Valiente, Most Outstanding Local Publication – Nucleus, Most Outstanding LOM in Membership Growth, Most Outstanding Community Project – 2 artesian wells in Lorega-San Miguel, Most Outstanding LOM in International Relations – joint project with sister chapter Yachiyo Jaycees of Japan, Most Outstanding LOM in Chapter Extension. In the 33rd National Convention of JCI Philippines held in Davao on October 8-10, 1981, the chapter garnered five (5) major awards, namely, Most Outstanding LOM – Category 2, Most Outstanding LOM President – Efren S. Valiente, Most Outstanding LOM in International Relations – joint project with sister chapter Yachiyo Jaycees of Japan, Most Outstanding Local Publication – Nucleus, Most Outstanding LOM in Chapter Extension – Mactan Jaycees, Minglanilla Jaycees, Dalaguete Jaycees, Argao Jaycees and Sibonga Jaycees.

In 1982, I was appointed by JCIP National President Victor Jose “Chichos” I. Luciano as Conference Director of Special National Convention to amend the JCIP Constitution. The conference was held on March 26-27, 1982, and despite the raging typhoon was attended by delegates from all over the country who arrived in Cebu before the typhoon’s landfall which was the day of the opening ceremonies on March 26, held at Magellan Hotel with the keynote address by Philippine Prime Minister Cesar E. A. Virata while the conference proper was successfully held at Eco-tech, Sudlon on March 27 (after the typhoon left). During the Visayas Area Conference held in Tacloban City in August 1982, I was elected by the Visayas chapters as the 1983 National Executive Vice-President for Visayas. On October 5, 1982, JCI President Barry L. Kennedy visited Cebu together with JCIP National President Victor Jose “Chichos” I. Luciano for the launching of the OFY (Outstanding Farmer of the Year).

On November 4-7, 1982, I joined the Philippine delegation to attend the 37th JCI World Congress held in Seoul, South Korea. This was an experience that truly gave me a very good impression of the international character and a true example of the “brotherhood of man” in Jayceeism.

To prepare for the 1983 activities, I attended the Strategic Planning organized by JCIP National President Arturo “Douglas” G. Nazareno which was held at the University of Life, Pasig, on January 4-7, 1983. The Joint Area and Regional Councils Officers Induction was held at the Mandaue Jaycees Clubhouse on February 18, 1983. As NEVP Visayas, I inducted the officers of Cebu Jaycees, Cebu Hara Jaycees, Mandaue Jaycees, Minglanilla Jaycees, Toledo Jaycees, Dumaguete Jaycees, Bohol Jaycees, Tacloban Jaycees, Iloilo Jaycees, Bacolod Jaycees. On April 9, 1983, I attended the 2nd National Board Meeting held in Pangasinan Village Inn where I was conferred the JCI Medal by JCI Vice-President Dorothy Lin. At the culmination of the Visayas Area Conference held in Tagbilaran, Bohol, on September 5, 1983, National President Arturo Douglas Nazareno conferred to me a Philippine Jaycee Presidential Medallion for exemplary service as NEVP Visayas. With the recommendation of my chapter and endorsement from JCP, JCI conferred to me my lifetime Jaycee award, JCI Senator no. 33616.

As NEVP Visayas, I had the supervision of all the national conventions/conferences to be held in Cebu namely the Philippine Junior Jaycees 10th National Convention on June 2-4, 1983; the 15th National Convention of the Philippine Jaycee Senate on October 5-6, 1983; and the 35th National Convention of the Philippine Jaycees on October 7-9, 1983. All three conferences were successfully held on their scheduled dates. As NEVP Visayas, and being the host area officer it was my role to preside the meeting of the general assembly and this was my first experience to preside in a national Jaycee meeting with a thousand delegates in attendance who all knew parliamentary procedures using the Robert’s rules of order. It was an experience of a lifetime which I was able to use when I attended as a delegate of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Trade Point General Assembly in 1998 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Following hallowed Jaycee tradition and to give way to the new blood, I became an elder Jaycee. After all those busy Jaycee years, my role in the Jaycee became the perennial speaker during orientation of new members.

As a Jaycee Senator, my first attendance of the Philippine Jaycee Senate National Convention (NatCon) was in the joint 35th Philippine Jaycees (JCP) National Convention and 15th Philippine Jaycee Senate (PJS) NatCon in Cebu in September 1983 jointly hosted by Cebu Jaycees and Cebu Jaycee Senate. I was in attendance in the 16th PJS NatCon presided by National President (NP) Romulo H. Cordova held on October 27-28, 1984, in Baguio City. During the 17th PJS NatCon presided by NP Reinaldo C. Bautista held on October 25-26, 1985, in Cagayan de Oro, I was elected as 1986 Vice President (VP) for Visayas. In 1986 I assumed the VP for Visayas position under PJS NP Jimmy O. Yaokasin and attended all four (4) National Board Meetings during that year. Being VP for Visayas I was in charge of the preparation for the hosting of the 18th PJS Natcon which was successfully held on October 24-26, 1986, in Cebu City.

From 1992 to 1994, I was elected as President of Cebu Jaycee Senate where our quarterly meetings held mostly at Cebu Midtown Hotel featured guest speakers both from government and business (examples were Presidential Assistant Rhett Pelaez who regularly updated us on the infrastructure projects in Visayas of President Fidel Ramos and industry leader Bobby Aboitiz who gave us also overview of both sea transportation and electric power situation in the Visayas). I relinquished the presidency of Cebu Jaycee Senate at the end of 1994 when I assumed the position of President of Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) from 1995 to 1997.

I resumed PJS NatCon attendance in the 29th NatCon presided by (fellow Cebu Jaycee Past President) NP Joy Augustus Young, held in Davao on October 2-3, 1997; the 31st PJS NatCon presided by NP Efren I. Pangyarihan, held in Bacolod on October 1-2, 1999, where I was elected for the second time as 2000 VP for Visayas. In 2000 I assumed the position as VP for Visayas under PJS NP Ernesto N. Chua, CK and attended all four (4) National Board Meetings during that year. The 32nd PJS NatCon presided by NP Ernesto N. Chua, CK was held in Cagayan de Oro on October 20-21, 2000. After this, I attended the 33rd PJS NatCon presided by NP John A. Bautista, held in Tacloban from October 11 to 12, 2001; the 37th PJS NatCon presided by NP Jorge Banal, held in Tagbilaran, Bohol , on October 21-23, 2005; the 40th PJS NatCon presided by (fellow Cebu Jaycee Senate past president) NP Carlos G. Co, held in Boracay on October 3-4, 2008.

In all my Jaycee Senate involvement and activities I have not forgotten the young Jaycees. I have attended all the annual Cebu Jaycees inductions, annual chapter anniversaries and annual chapter elections as perennial chapter election chairman.

On February 23, 2023, JCI Cebu President Marc Peterson Ng appointed me as Publicity and Promotions and Working Chairman of the 75th anniversary yearbook for release on or before June 16, 2023, the date of a big Diamond anniversary celebration. From February 23 to June 15 is only three and a half months of work that usually requires a whole year to prepare. In addition to the shortnesss of time, my schedule is very hectic being the Dean of Graduate School, Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU) offering graduate programs to local and international graduate students aside from the fact that CDU is undergoing a very tough ISO certification process that started last July 2022 and the Graduate School is a centerpiece in the ongoing ISO certification. I accepted this responsibility because what I am today I owe it to the Jaycees. I remember what Cebu Jaycees (1966) Past President Jose P. Lardizabal said during his orientation of baby Jaycees (including me) in 1978 in response to my inquisitive question “What does one get out of being a Jaycee?” He replied, “You only get from the Jaycees what you put into it.”

What I have become today, I learned from the Jaycees. The Jaycee organization can be likened to a workshop where one learns to work with others, be creative or what others call “making something out of nothing.” The narratives in this book are based partly on historical research and partly on my personal experience being a Jaycee that spans four (4) decades. I was there at the Jaycee frontline so to speak, an active participant in the making of and in Jaycee history. The title of the book JCI Cebu: Workshop of Great Cebuano Leaders aptly describes the experience I got in my young age that prepared me to face the future with confidence and full of hope.

JCI Sen. Efren Valiente