Permanent Manila showroom eyed for small Negros businesses

The Department of Trade and Industry is working with small Negros-based enterprises to establish a permanent showroom in Manila where they can display their wares.

 

Association of Negros Producers (ANP) president Josephine Locsin said they hope to establish the permanent facility in as little as six months.

 

“In six months, we hope to study the market even better, with the end in view of establishing a permanent showroom here in Manila in collaboration of course with our partner, the DTI,” Locsin said.

 

The ANP launched its showroom at the DTI building in Makati City Friday.

 

For its part, the DTI said its Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT) showroom displays the products of Negros province’s business support organization.

 

Negros' organization has 117 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and generates 3,000 jobs to help sustain thousands of families, until end-2012.

 

ANP aims to sell P200,000 a month for its first two months in the showroom, and expects to increase its sales by 30 percent in each succeeding month.

 

Its offerings include food, housewares, fashion accessories, and organic and natural products.

 

Locsin said it took it took her group over a year to consider the offer of the DTI's BDT to take on this showroom.

 

"Considering that we should push the development of our 117 MSME members, the board unanimously decided that it’s time to take on this challenge,” she said.

 

The ANP is a business support organization that was born to answer a call for diversification during the Negros sugar industry crisis in the 1980s.

 

It seeks to foster entrepreneurial, trade and tourism growth by providing training services and marketing opportunities.

 

ANP covers five sectors - food, furniture and furnishings, gifts and housewares, fashion and garments, natural and organic products.

 

The ANP has been continuously running the Negros trade fair or longest-running provincial trade show held annually in Manila.

 

"This fair is another platform geared to improve and stimulate business, and develop the potentials of entrepreneurs in the domestic and international markets," the DTI said.

 

DTI Negros Occidental Provincial Director Rebecca Rascon said the DTI assisted the ANP find a showroom in Makati to market their products to target buyers.

 

She added the DTI has also assisted them in providing the necessary productivity and marketing trainings, and update them with the latest trends in the local and international markets.

 

“We have also invited them in the recent Panubli-on,” she said. Panubli-on is a marketing event facilitated by DTI Region 6 at Glorietta and Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center in Makati City.

 

It showcases the products of Western Visayas such as gifts, housewares and decors, furnishings, novelty items, and fashion accessories made of indigenous fibers like piña, abaca, and raffia, and fresh and processed food including Guimaras mangoes and Ilonggo delicacies.

 

“The purpose of Panubli-on is to showcase the products of Region 6 and the answer to the call to increase our presence in the international markets. The exports coming from Region 6 is US$20 million in 2011. For 2012, a big contribution is coming resource based small and medium enterprises. We can probably attain about US$23 million by the end of the year,” DTI Iloilo provincial director Wilhelm Malones said.

 

Malones voiced optimism more employment opportunities will be provided this year. — ELR, GMA News