In observance of the Holy Week, the Philippine News Agency’s online news service will be off on March 29, Good Friday, and March 30, Black Saturday. Normal operations will resume on March 31, Easter Sunday.

— The Editors

Negros Trade Fair goes online on 35th year

By Erwin Nicavera

May 31, 2021, 4:42 pm

<p>Image from www.shopnegrostradefair.com</p>

Image from www.shopnegrostradefair.com

BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Trade Fair (NTF) returns after a year of hiatus, marking its 35th year by going online to complement its onsite store at the newly-opened Association of Negros Producers (ANP) Hub along the South Capitol Road here.
 
With some 35 producers participating, the fair has generated about PHP630,000 in sales in the first two days, ANP president Arlene Infante said on Monday.
 
Both the onsite and online platforms opened on May 29 simultaneous with the inauguration of the hub, and will run for a month until June 30.
 
In a video message, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said she is happy to welcome the NTF back as it goes online through www.shopnegrostradefair.com.
 
“The country’s longest-running provincial trade fair, which was always held in Metro Manila, will now be able to reach more people in the country through an e-commerce platform,” she added.
 
Romulo-Puyat said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Negros Island will now have access to wider customer base and more opportunity to connect with the international market.
 
The Tourism chief said the NTF is one of her favorite yearly events and she always looks forward to checking out the featured Negrense products.
 
The NTF, an annual event organized by the ANP in collaboration with the Negros Occidental provincial government and various national government agencies, adopts the theme “Embracing the QR (Quick Response) Code” for this year’s edition.
 
Its staging was canceled last year due to restrictions and threat posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. 
 
During its 34th year in 2019, the NTF was held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.
 
Infante acknowledged that the ANP faced a crisis so unprecedented that threatened its very existence as the pandemic happened, leading to the closure of the Negros Showroom at Robinsons Place Bacolod and the indefinite postponement of the NTF.
 
“But then, also for the same reason, this pandemic gave us the desires of our hearts. Something that we have been dreaming about and thought that it will only remain a dream. That is, to have our very own building and showroom where we don’t bother with rent and all our resources are spent on advancing our core entrepreneurial advocacies,” she said.
 
The ANP’s  e-commerce platform caters to the clients in Metro Manila and other areas in the country while the onsite trade fair at the hub is open six days a week for buyers in the province.
 
“History has shown us, for as long ANP remains true to its calling, all our partners, the provincial government especially, will be there for us, because we live for the Negrense MSMEs,” Infante said.
 
In 2020, the provincial government and the ANP, along with the Talarak Foundation, entered into a usufruct agreement for the association to use the Capitol-owned property at the Negros Forest Park for 25 years.
 
The province also provided a PHP5-million fund for the construction of the ANP Hub that  houses a  business and training center, showroom, office, as well as the Bugana Market.
 
The ANP Hub forms part of the Negros Occidental Culture Hub Circuit Tour along with the Provincial Capitol and Park, Provincial Tourism Office, Mambukal Resort Bacolod Office, “Cafetolyo” or the cafe within the lagoon and park, Talarak Foundation-Negros Forest Park, The Negros Museum, Ayala Fiesta Market, and Pala-Pala Food Terminal Market.
 
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who led the “Arima” or the symbolic ringing of the bell that signals the start of the trade fair, reiterated the province’s support to local producers.
 
“Please continue innovating and creating, and always aim for excellence. Your provincial government is here to support you every step of the way,” Lacson said. (PNA)
 
 

Comments