PROMOTION. Dresses and shoes with "patadyong" or the handwoven fabric made in Antique on display during the opening of trade and tourism fair at the newly renovated capitol building on April 27, 2022. Micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Antique looked forward to the support of local leaders in the promotion and marketing of local products. (PNA file photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in the province of Antique are hopeful that Antique’s newly elected officials can help them push their local products in the market as part of their economic recovery.
Aben Ortega, president of the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) Alumni Association, on Thursday said he is confident that the new set of local leaders in the province will assist the MSMEs affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
The KMME Alumni Association is formed by MSMEs in Antique who completed the entrepreneurship mentoring session of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“I am looking forward that our local leaders would be able to create activities that could help us market our local products,” said Ortega, the proprietor of the Albin School and Office Supplies, Equipment and Services.
He added that there are many local products such as food and non-food being produced by the MSMEs, but lacking in marketing opportunities within and outside of the province.
Among the famous local food products in the province are banana and camote chips, turmeric and ginger tea, tablea or native chocolate, and premium coffee.
For the non-food, the province is known for its "patadyong" or handwoven fabric, "buri" (fiber from the leaves of buri palm) bags and wallets, and the recent engineered bamboo furniture.
EDE Engineering Enterprise project manager Engineer Edwin Eraga said MSMEs can look forward to more support from reelectionist Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao and presumptive lone district Rep. Antonio Agapito Legarda.
“Presumptive Senator Loren Legarda is the author of the MSME Law so we could expect more support for Antique considering her youngest brother is our new congressman,” he said. (PNA)
