Business as usual for ‘Yolanda’-hit MSMEs at Tacloban trade fair

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 6 -- Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that suffered the brunt of Super Typhoon Yolanda joined a three-day trade fair showing how their businesses rose from the rubble in the past five years.

At least 61 MSMEs joined the Bahandi trade fair at Robinson’s Place Tacloban in the bid to inspire local entrepreneurs to continue to recover after “Yolanda” and raise awareness of local buyers on the availability of unique products.

During the fair opening on Tuesday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Cynthia Nierras said since late 2013, a lot of assistance has been extended to small businesses to “build back better” after the monster typhoon.

“This trade fair is a miniscule representation of moments of recovery and gains of the region’s MSMEs as they surmount challenges of picking up the broken pieces of their remaining businesses, courage, strength, and dreams,” Nierras said.

Among the assistance provided by the trade department are loans, improved packaging, labelling, extension of shelf life, better design, provision of shared service facility and marketing.

“This fair showcases products that have been crafted by hope and determination, creativity, innovation, and resiliency. Let us show that producers are back in business and products are back in the market. We have improved because of the opportunities that came after Yolanda,” Nierras added.

National Economic and Development Authority Regional Director Bonifacio Uy said the fair depicts the region’s resiliency and great resolve to recover from the impact one of the world’s most damaging typhoon.

“This is a testament of our commitment and strong support to build a better and safer region for the people of Eastern Visayas,” Uy added.

Among the products displayed are tuba (coconut wine), tahong (mussels) crackers, turmeric tea, chocolate moron (sticky rice with chocolate), calamansi concentrate, sweet potato chips, dried fish, chocolate tablets, dried squid, dried jackfruit, woven mats, coco shells, and fashion accessories.

The DTI reported that the Nov. 8, 2013 super typhoon totally damaged 5,322 registered small and medium enterprises in Eastern Visayas.

One of them is owned Maricel Daga from a coastal village of San Fernando in Palo, Leyte, who launched her chocolate tablet business in 2012.

“Our house and equipment used in our small business were all wiped out by big waves. Through livelihood seeding of DTI and various assistance we managed to rise and join trade fairs here, in Manila, and in Davao,” Daga said.

Daga and 133 other MSMEs joined the Bahandi Trade Fair last month at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The regional trade fair showcasing the best of Eastern Visayas has generated PHP49 million in sales, more than double its target.

Bahandi, the local term for wealth, is a regular trade fair organized by Department of Trade and Industry in malls based in the National Capital Region and in Tacloban City. (SQM/PNA)