Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Roberto Montelibano (right) with Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (center) and Samie Lim, director for tourism, retail and franchise of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and founding president and chairman emeritus of Philippine Franchising Association, at the opening of the Franchising Expo at L’ Fisher Hotel on Thursday (August 30, 2018). (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) is pushing to empower local enterprises by raising awareness on franchising.
MBCCI president Roberto Montelibano said they want small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to be ready and more capable of expanding their businesses through various means, including franchising.
On Thursday, Montelibano and Samie Lim, director for tourism, retail and franchise of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and founding president and chairman emeritus of the Philippine Franchising Association, led the opening of the Franchising Expo at L’ Fisher Hotel here.
The event is part of the 27th Visayas Area Business Conference and Agriculture and Livestock Expo on August 29-31.
On Wednesday, a franchising seminar in the same venue opened the three-day conference.
“This is one of MBCCI’s means to empower local enterprises, enabling them to grow from small to bigger ones,” Montelibano said.
He added that with more “push,” the MBCCI is optimistic to contribute to the development of the franchising industry in Negros Occidental.
During the seminar, Bing Sibal-Limjoco, vice chair of Philippine Franchise Association, said the Philippines is now considered Asia’s franchise hub.
Sibal-Limjoco, who sits as chief executive officer of Francorp Philippines, said franchise concepts in the country have grown from only 50 to almost 2,000.
“There are so many interested investors, they want to buy a franchise,” she said.
Sibal-Limjoco added that since franchising began in 1995, they have proven that getting a franchise enables small enterprises to become medium and even go large.
In Negros Occidental, some franchise concepts include Felicia’s, Chefs and Bakers, and Munsterific.
“Franchising potentials are still huge here. Negrenses are really entrepreneurial thus, I believe that there are more to come,” Sibal-Limjoco said. (PNA)
