THE Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation, Inc. (MTEFI) has just concluded another successful show.
From August 10 to 17, hundreds of products from all over Mindanao covered the entire Abreeza Mall Activity Center in Davao City.
Products ranging from food to fashion accessories to home furnishings delighted shoppers and some institutional buyers who got awed by the creativity and craftsmanship of the 120 local entrepreneurs and artisans.
MTEFI president, Dr. Rosevic del Rosario-Cembrano, said that it has always been the organization’s commitment to continuously provide a venue for the promotion of local products while empowering communities.
MTEFI, together with its partners, introduced material manipulation and designs which the locales would eventually produce for the entrepreneur who gave them the training on product development. As an initiative under its community development thrust, the organization is optimistic that this would already be a regulation business transaction between their member-entrepreneur and the community they are helping.
“By having a regular business with an entrepreneur, the community becomes more empowered as they enjoy regular income,” Cembrano said.
For the past 23 years, MTE has already supported a total of 4,057 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and has generated P1.45 billion in sales.
With the successful run of MTE for more than two decades, Cembrano was quick to cite their partners as among the main reasons why they have remained a strong group.
“The secret of MTE’s success, I would say, is a combination of factors, which include good timing, hardwork, and a clear vision,” she said.
“Ultimately, the MTE Foundation would like to see entrepreneurs not only conquering the world, but also touching lives and making a difference in their respective communities,” she continued.
The partners and cooperators of MTEFI are the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PhilExport), and Ayala Malls (particularly Abreeza Mall in Davao City and Glorietta Mall in Makati City).
“From this year onwards, we are planning to develop more communities, more export-quality products, and more exporters. Of course we would like to have more partners as well,” she concluded.
Watch out for MTE’s Christmas edition at the same venue in December! For sure, we would find so many gift items by then.
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