Entrep Expo at SM Megamall

The Center for Small Entrepreneurs (CSE) launched its 3rd annual trade fair last January 29 to 31, 2010 at the SM Megamall’s Megatrade Exhibit Hall 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

With the theme, “Entreps Exposed: Finding the Real Filipino Entrepreneurs,” the event aims to shed light on the Filipino entrepreneur’s unique socio-cultural identity by taking an in-depth look at the historical roots of the country’s earliest business ventures. Moreover, the event also aimed to open new windows of opportunity for the victims of the recent typhoons, majority of whom are looking for a fresh start on livelihood prospects.

More than 100 unique locally-made products from different regions and participating non-governmental organizations were on display in various booths. 

Among the highlights of the three-day fest are livelihood skills demos and informative discussions facilitated by respected academicians/entrepreneurs. Guest Speakers from various businesses and companies include: Mrs. Ma. Victoria O. Magkalas from the Department of Trade and Industry, Ms. Shovy Paragas from Dream Incorporated, President of Lamoiyan Corporation Dr. Cecilio Pedro, Renowned Stage Actor and Actress Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez, Chief Executive Officer of Artwork Inc. Medin Villamiel, President of Gandang Kalikasan Inc. Anne Meloto, and President of Unleash International Vic Garcia.

Also included in the program are breakthrough performances from the Cordillera Dancers, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila, and Spotlight Artist Centers.

The CSE trade fair aims to spread its gospel of entrepreneurship by giving new meaning and value to the discipline through an in-depth study of its historical evolution, providing a venue for micro entrepreneurs to promote their products and disseminating relevant information on current trends and business practices. 

Ms. Leng Baluyot of the CSE Marketing Unit (524.1879/523.9776 or 0919.3755850) is in charge of gathering the participants.

NGO Trade Fair at Trinoma

The Association of Foundation in cooperation with the Caucus of Development NGO Networks and the Peace and Equity Foundation presented the NGO Trade Fair at the Trinoma Activity Center, Trinoma Mall in Quezon City last December 14 to 16, 2009.

With the theme, "Rebuilding Resilient Communities, Reconstructing Democratic Institutions (Hope for Chnage after Ondoy, Pepeng, and GMA)", the event was organized to create public awareness on the role played by civil society and NGOs in national development and to showcase the products of the development community to the mainstream market.

This is part of CODE-NGO's Development Forum Series. A 2-day forum was also held at the Ateneo de Manila University with the topic "Capacity Building for Local Initiatives in Disaster Risk Reduction", and "Learning Public Forum on Civil Society's Disaster Relief Response".

The Trade Fair, moreover, featured quality and reasonably-priced products to support efforts on generating sustainable livelihoods for our community.

The event was also supported by Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), Foundation for Sustainable Society, and Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PTFCF).

OK Bikol Trade Fair with Gayon Bikol

The 13th Orgullo kan Bikol regional trade fair showcased anew Bicol’s best products last October 22-25 at the SM Mega Mall Megatrade Hall 2 in Mandaluyong City.

As said by DTI Bicol regional director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco, this year’s featured products included “wearables, home furnishings, gifts and holiday decors, and food with special setting on “bayong”, creative handicrafts, and OTOP.”

Supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) Bicol regional offices, “Gayon Bikol sa OK Bikol” also featured the best tourist destinations in the region, giving the event an appealing socio-cultural touch.

There were a total of 134 Bicolano entrepreneurs who showcased their products during the exhibit. Among the six provinces comprising Bicol, Albay had the biggest number of exhibitors with 33 MSMEs, followed by Camarines Sur with 24, Sorsogon with 14, Catanduanes 9, Camarines Norte 6, and Masbate 5. Aside from the regular MSMEs assisted by DTI, 43 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries/entrepreneurs were able to join OKB, also with the assistance of DTI.

The keynote address during the opening program was delivered by Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda (also the Bicol Regional Development Council chair) last October 22, 2009, 10:00 AM at SM Mega Mall.

The fair promoted market linkages with the players in the travel industry, trade buyers and investors to further boost Bicol’s tourism, trade and investment potentials.

OK Bikol is a project of the DTI-Region V, Department of Tourism (DOT)-Region V, OK Bikol Association, PhilExport Bicol and local government units (LGUs). The official sponsors of OK Bikol Trade Fair with Gayon Bikol are: ABS-CBN, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines, PHILEXPORT, and Megatrade Hall.

Davao Fair Highlighted Malunggay’s Benefit

The Region 11’s office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)featured the many health benefits of“malunggay” during the First Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Fair in Davao held last October 15 to 18, 2009 at the Gaisano Mall, Davao City.

DTI Director for Region 11 Teodulo Pasawa said that “malunggay” is packed with seven times more vitamin C than orange, four times more vitamin A and Beta-carotene which is good for the eyes and an effective cancer fighting anti oxidant than carrot, four times more calcium than milk, three times more potassium than bananas, two times more protein than yoghurt, and two times more iron than spinach.

He also indicated that we need to unleash the potentials of malunggay, and to find the necessary interventions in order to achieve its full potential. Here in the Philippines, a decoction of the roots is often used to revive delirious patients and to clean sores and ulcers the juice from the said part mixed with milk is also effective for treating hiccups, asthma, gout, lumbago, and rheumatism . The bark is also applied on snake bites to prevent the poison from spreading

According to Mr. Cesar Ladesma, Chair of the Consumer Action for Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyle (Cash-L) Network Inc., malunggay helps ensure the health of families and saves them allot of money due to the fact that it is easy to grow and pesticide-free. CASH-L is DTIs partner institution for the fair. 

The fair also promoted naturally grown food and locally made products, minimal use of energy from fossil fuel, and products that are bio-degradable.

DTI, moreover, promotes living a simple yet environment-friendly lifestyle that does not necessarily deprives people of the many joys of living.

Local Bands Play “Music Made in Cebu”

Several local bands and artists teamed together and staged the fourth “Music Made in Cebu” Concert and Trade Fair last Sept. 18–20 at the Atrium, Park Mall, Mandaue City.

The event, organized by Small Town Events & More, deviated from the past year’s concert. Live performances took on an acoustic twist, with numbers from PG18, Smooth Friction, Zarah Smith, Cattski, Sefyla, Brownian Method, and Max Surban.

Exhibitors for the All Music, All Cebu Trade Fair were also at the event, together with Yamaha and the Asian Academy of Music, who conducted free guitar lessons and voice and violin lessons, respectively. Other participants to the Trade Fair also included Hero Sausage, Smart Communications, Norkis Yamaha, Filinvest, and Stars and Stripes.

The three-day event was sponsored by Yamaha Music, Business Mirror, 97.9 Love Radio, Julie's Bakeshop, Sonshine Radio, The Orchard Cebu Hotel, RCTV Channel 36, PAGCOR, and in-part by Asian Academy of Music, Center for Pop Music Philippines, Gemino Stars Production, Media Adlib, Steady Tracker, and Graphicstar.

For more information, contact Small Town Events & More at (6332) 267-4894 or (63920) 215-2625

24th Negros Trade Fair

The best of export quality Negros-made furniture, home decors, clothes, jewelry, and food were featured at the weeklong 24th Negros Trade Fair held on September 11-16, 2009 at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City.

The Negros Trade Fair is the country’s longest running provincially organized trade fair in Metro Manila. It is a project of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) aimed at promoting products made by Negrenses. Organizers reinvented this year’s trade fair in the face of the worldwide economic crisis and threats from Chinese competitors. One innovation is the introduction of an e-commerce shopping facility which first went online on the first day of the 24th Negros Trade Fair.

The 24th Negros Trade Fair was sponsored by the Province of Negros Occidental, Department of Tourism, PLDT SME Nation, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Grove by Rockwell, BBB Foundation, Inc., City of Bacolod, Negros Navigation, CENTREX, and JRS Express.

The Association of Negros Producers may be reached (63) 034 4341000, 433883 and thru email info@anp-philippines.com.

Filipino Creativity Shines at National Trade Fair ‘09

The Philippines’ most comprehensive domestic trade fair has a new home!

On its 18th year, the National Trade Fair (NTF) began last March 12, 2009 at the SMX Convention Centre, SM Business Park Bay City, Pasay City, and will run until March 15, 2009.

Featuring more than 200 small and medium enterprises, NTF brings the finest indigenous products from across the country under one roof. The creativity and craftsmanship unique to each region were evident throughout the convention center. From food to fashion, furniture, arts and crafts, and home furnishings, NTF showcases the best the Philippines had to offer. Also featured in the 2009 edition of NTF are the semi-processed materials fair that displayed various new production processes and technologies that can be applied to semi-processed materials with enormous potential such as piña, abaca, pandan, and coco wood. Business matching activities, trainings and seminars are likewise available to the participants and trade visitors of this comprehensive trade fair.

For the last 18 years, the NTF has been bringing together manufacturers of the best and finest products throughout the archipelago from food to fashion, arts and crafts, furniture, and home furnishings. NTF is a subcontractors’ fair that serves as a meeting point for small and medium enterprise exporters and local as well as international large buyers.

The 18th National Trade Fair is led by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and co-presented by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Regional Operations Development Group (RODG) and the Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT).

Pinoy Goods Promoted in 16th Buy Pinoy Exporters Fair

SM Megatrade Hall 2 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City during the 16^th Buy Pinoy Exporters Fair held last November 27-30, 2008.

Organized by the Buy Pinoy Movement Foundation, the event aims to raise the level of consumer consciousness on the global competitiveness of Filipino made products, promote Filipino products locally and internationally, encourage indigenous talents and investors by showing them the advantages of locally-developed products, and promote sustainable development.

Showcasing Philippine-made products from all over the Philippines, visitors got a virtual experience of shopping in different cities and provinces of the country during the event. Shoppers browsed through more than 100 booths selling more than a thousand items and products all proudly made in the Philippines. Among the products were jewellery and fashion accessories from the provinces of Cebu, Albay, Iloilo, Baguio, and Bulacan; handicrafts, home décor, furniture, novelty items, Christmas decor, gift items from the cities of Albay, Bacolod, Tuguegarao, Antipolo, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, Parañaue, and Pasig as well as products from Aurora province, Negros Occidental, Pampanga, Iloilo, Tarlac, Palawan, and Samar province

Food delicacies and native pastries such as buko (coconut) pie and kakanin, meat products, chocolates, smoked and dried fish, bangus (milk fish) and tuna products and local fruit juices and beverages were available from the provinces of Albay, Laguna, Ilocos Norte, Bulacan, Cavite, and Quezon province. Apparel, barong tagalog, baby accessories, footwear, and leather goods were showcased by manufacturers from the provinces of Lumban and Liliw, Laguna and Bulacan, and Metro Manila areas Las Piñas and Quezon City.

Buy Pinoy Movement Foundation President Marlane Villa-Real said the fair was set in time for the Christmas holidays. Villa-Real assured that the products are of export quality, durable, creative and sold at very affordable prices.