Monday, July 15, 2019
BY MARCHEL P. ESPINA
A business leader in Bacolod City said yesterday he is upbeat about the support of local government units to small entrepreneurs coming from their respective localities.
Chief executive officer Frank Carbon, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday that most of the exhibitors who joined the ongoing Business Week fair at Robinsons Place in Bacolod City were "market-ready", meaning, their products are already sophisticated enough for the urban market.
“Most of the products have nice packaging,” he said, adding that packaging and presentation are important because customers "judge the book by its cover.”
He said these small entrepreneurs are serious in their business and ready to upgrade in the more mainstream market. He added they previously underwent trainings on packaging and processing of products from the Department of Science and Technology.
Carbon said it is a big factor that these small entrepreneurs were assisted by their respective LGUs because their products were market-ready. They were provided with a supply of raw materials, connected to technology provides, and given product capital by the local government, he added.
He said the most active LGUs that support their small entrepreneurs during the fair were the cities of Kabankalan, Cadiz, Himamaylan, and Sagay, and the municipalities of La Castellana and E.B. Magalona.
He said he is hopes that some LGUs will adopt the practice so economic development will not only be in Bacolod City, but also in the rural areas.
“This will create a big impact on the province. The small businesses will boost the economy of Negros Occidental,” he added.
Meanwhile, the 12-day exposition of the 30 exhibitors at the mall has average daily sales of P150,000 since it opened on July 6, Carbon said.
“This is a good indication that people from Bacolod are trying to help our rural entrepreneurs,” he added.*
