SMEs, LGUs generate P100T sales in Pasundayag Fair 2007
San Jose, Antique -- A total of P103,687.20 in sales were generated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local government units (LGUs) who joined the exhibits of products during the Pasundayag Fair 2007 in celebration of the Binirayan Festival in the province.
Engr. Wilhelm Malones, Provincial Director of the Department of Trade and Industry reported that among the industries that were exhibited Bariw products from Libertad was top grosser with more than P21 thousand sales. Aqua and fishery based products from Tibiao ranked 2nd while Bamboo craft and gemstones from Sibalom were on the 3rd and 4th slot exhibited by Odango Native Products and Gemstone Producer respectively.
The LGUs also joined the fair to promote their local industries in support of the One-Town-One-Product Program, said Jocelyn Perez, Senior Trade and Industry Specialist, DTI - Antique. Among the municipalities that joined the fair were Libertad Tibiao, Caluya and San Jose. Others have commissioned local entrepreneurs and cooperatives to join the fair.
DTI has been actively supporting SMEs in the province linkage to funding donors, marketing and product development and enhancement. The SMEs have also undergone training and coaching on barcoding and registration with Philippine Article and Numbering Council for them to penetrate bigger markets such as malls and department stores.
For food products, DTI also encouraged food industries to register with the Bureau of Food and Drugs to ensure consumers of safe and quality products, said Perez.
Meanwhile, the government is moving to address concerns raised by local micro, small and medium enterprises such as access to funds and capital, transportation and infrastructure and supply chain efficiency.
The assistance is mainly found in the Medium Term SME Development Plan, said Serge Remonde, Presidential Management Staff Director General and oversight official for MSMEs. The forms of direct assistance may be classified into the following: credit access and guarantees, product development and technology interventions, training and marketing support, advocacy among others.
Remonde added that under the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council, the government provided P91.35 billion worth of loans to entrepreneurs from 2004-2006 through the SME Unified Lending Opportunities for National Growth (SULONG).
For 2007 the government will provide another P34 Billion for loans to MSMEs through SULONG, Remonde said. (PIA)