THE one-week Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Week (MSME) in La Trinidad is set to promote and feature local products and entreprenuers.

This year's theme, "Inclusive and Sustainable Innovations for Globally Competitive MSMEs", conveys innovations introduced to all types of business enterprises, while maintaining the best viable and marketable practices for the MSMEs.

Orlando Pacya, municipal cooperative development officer, urged stakeholders to participate in the one-week activity which seeks to patronize local products and showcase young and adult entrepreneurs.

Pacya added that La Trinidad is one of the Benguet towns with an existing office that provides services including trainings and skills development, linkages, and assistance to organizations in becoming a cooperative.

The first day of the MSME Development Week kicked off on Saturday, August 10, with the La Trinidad Federation confab and the Watawatworld wedding festival fair, and the opening of the two-day job fair sponsored by the Public Employment and Services Office.

On Monday, August 12, entrepreneurs will showcase their local products in a five-day trade fair, followed by a Linggo ng Kabataan program and the token-making contest where designs must depict one of the major products and services of the valley.

MSME trade fair would continue with investment forums, service promotions, and water plant propagations set on August 13, as well as a product development seminar and workshop on the following day.

Other activities during the week would include "Hataw" and "Biz Quiz" at the municipal gym and the display of Essay Writing and Amateur Mobile Photography contest entries.

The closing program is set on Friday, August 16, with the awarding program, while a best in Promotion Video of Product award will be set on August 14.

There are a total of 8,000 MSMEs registered in La Trinidad per records of the Business Permit and Licensing Section.

In 2018, entrepreneurs contributed more than 50 percent of the local economy in terms of business taxes and fees.

Among the 489 first and second class towns in the Philippines, La Trinidad ranked 32nd in the Cities/Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) which measures local government units' competitiveness in terms of economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, and resiliency.