ILOILO CITY— Fifty-two exhibitors have joined the 16th Aklan Product Showcase, which highlights the products of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) affected by the rehabilitation of Boracay Island.
The seven-day event with the theme “Bagong Buhay Boracay” kicked off on Monday at the SM City event center here.
Roselita C. Sauza, president of the Hugod Aklanon Producers, Inc, one of the organizers said the showcase is an intervention spearheaded by Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez to help market the products of displaced MSMEs due to the closure.
Aside from bringing in products, the exhibitors also offer “Experience Boracay” minus the white sand and the beach by bringing in Boracay-based caricature maker, tattoo artist, hair braider and massage therapist.
Sauza, in welcoming participants to the event, admitted that they were “caught off-guard” by the closure of Boracay.
“In fact the closure affects not just the province and the island of Panay but the entire country as many international tourists cancelled their booked trip to Boracay,” she said, adding that 50 to 90 percent of their products are being marketed to Boracay.
“We are hopeful and positive and we look forward to bounce back and see more vibrant and globally competitive Boracay and Aklan as a whole,” she added.
However, she cited that the closure of Boracay has taught them a lesson, that they need to diversify.
“We now know that Boracay is not the only market for us. We have the whole world to market yet we have not explored because we concentrated in our market strength having Boracay with us,” she said.
Meantime, DTI Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya, in her message delivered by Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon, commended the resiliency of Aklanon MSMEs.
She said the showroom at the central office of the DTI has already generated PHP250,000 sales of Aklan products from May to August.
DTI also brought 15 MSMEs to the Sandugo Festival of Bohol while another 15 exhibitors displayed their products at the SM Makati Kultura in August 24.
“We also have lined up several activities for the rest of the year bringing Boracay to Bonifacio Global and to other parts of Manila,” she said.
She added that the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship is helping MSMEs look for a wider market.
The exhibitors in Iloilo are composed of 9 Indigenous Peoples (IPs), 9 gifts and houseware producers, four recipients of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 13 processed foods business owners, two cacao-based, 10 coconut-based, one horticulture and four Boracay based entrepreneurs.
The product showcase targets to generate some PHP72 million sales.
It was organized by the Hugod Aklanon Producers Association, Inc, DTI, Aklan provincial government and the Aklan Provincial Small and Medium Enteprise Development (SMED) Council. (Perla Lena/PNA)
