BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Some 24 micro and small enterprises and local government units in Negros Occidental are joining the 16-day trade event at Robinsons Place Bacolod starting today.
The Negros Producers Market was initiated anew by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
The MBCCI said the participants include producers under various sectors like food, handicrafts and agriculture, among others, from different localities in Negros Occidental.
The local governments of Sagay, Kabankalan, and Bacolod are also showcasing their products.
Chief executive officer Frank Carbon of MBCCI earlier said the trade event at the mall aims to help local producers, especially during this pandemic.
Previous trade events generated million of pesos in revenues for the participating producers. Also, it created hundreds of jobs and livelihood in various cities and towns in the province, Carbon said.
MONTHLY EVENT
He said they will hold a Negros Producers Market every month so that the purchasing power in the urban areas is shared with the rural communities, adding that the crisis will not disappear easily and that means there is need to learn how to live with it.
From June 1 to 15 this year, the business chamber and provincial government gathered 33 producers at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central.
Participating micro and small enterprises showcased products, including food and beverage, handicrafts, apparel and accessories, among others.
The trade fair, on the theme “Seeking Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow”, is a continuation of the Negros Producers Expo held at Robinsons Place Bacolod from April 16 to May 2.
The MBCCI said earlier that the endeavor demonstrates to LGUs and concerned national government agencies that it is possible to convert farming communities into agribusiness hubs.
FASTER RECOVERY
The group said it believed that if LGUs and NGAs like the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, along with the private sector, could come together and work toward this direction, the province can recover quickly and create thousands of new jobs and livelihood.
Carbon said that, hopefully, local government officials, like the congressmen, and food conglomerates will see the wisdom of such endeavor and adopt the project.
He added that the trade events are under the chamber’s Project Market that demonstrates how to adapt under the “new normal” and balance the cost of living and standard of living.*
