CITY OF MALOLOS—Officials opened on Monday the Likhang Bulakenyo Trade Fair in Waltermart-City of Malolos to support the new players in the Micro Small Medium Enterprises in the province.
Maria Cristina V. Valenzuela, Division Chief-Business Development Division of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI Bulacan) Provincial Office said processed food, fashion and accessory (wearables) and home style manufacturing products of twenty micro enterpreneurs who recently benefited from their “Gabay Negosyo” project are now on display and sale at the said supermarket-mini mall.
According to Valenzuela, the partnership they made for the Likhang Bulakenyo booth in Waltermart Malolos together with the Gabay Negosyo project are this year’s stake of DTI- Bulacan in partnership with the Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) in celebration of the National MSME Week all throughout the country, with the theme “Upgrade, Upskill, and Upsize MSMEs,” in order to recognize the significant contribution of business enterprises in the economic growth of the country.
Valenzuela encouraged the exhibitors to innovate and continue making quality products to become more competitive. She also expressed gratitude and appreciation to Waltermart-Malolos for generously providing the venue for DTI Bulacan’s marketing events and to all the partner agencies which consistently and continuously collaborates with DTI in implementing development projects for MSMEs. “This event is indeed an opportunity for the exhibitors to explore and expand,” Valenzuela pointed out.
DTI Bulacan Provincial Office with Ms. Corina Tengco Bautista, Chairperson of the BCCI, Atty. Jayric Amil, Chief of Staff and Department Head of the Provincial Government of Bulacan – Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development Office (PGB-PCEDO) who represented Gov. Daniel R. Fernando, Mary Ann Carranza, Ph. D. of Bulacan State University (BulSU), in partnership with Waltermart-City of Malolos, represented by Mall Manager Jennifer Capili also graced the launching of the booth for the said project.
The PGB, BulSU and PGB-PCEDO representatives also expressed their warm greetings and their willingness to assist these Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in terms of capacity building, training, product development, market promotion, innovation and other relevant interventions, as needed.
BCCI Chairperson Bautista specifically addressed her message to the exhibitors, inspiring them to continue in aiming for higher goals, despite the struggles and challenges, assuring them of the government’s commitment and support. She also said that the BCCI is very much willing to guide and mentor them, citing the recently launched Gabay-Negosyo Project last July 7, 2023 of DTI and BCCI, as a means to capacitate and mentor MSMEs.
Carranza said that BulSU Extension Services has different programs that may be availed depending on the enterprises needs and offered to partner with Waltermart in their Entrepreneurship program for students.
According to Capili of Waltermart, DTI Bulacan had been their partner since they started to operate in the City of Malolos, and that they would like to continue the collaboration since they also intend to support in entrepreneurial and start-up development. “The growth of MSMEs is indeed a journey of persistence, determination and collaboration of stakeholders from the government and the private sector having common goals and objectives to succeed,” Valenzuela also said.
