Mall offers strategic area for micro-entrepreneurs

CEBU, Philippines - Supporting the government's move to push the growth of micro entrepreneurs, Parkmall shopping center vows to provide a venue for local produced goods to be prominently displayed in the mall.

  This developed following the initial partnership of Parkmall management with the Mandaue City Cooperative Development Council (MCCDC) to host nine cooperatives to showcase their products in the mall for free for a week.

Parkmall general manager Nelson Co said that through the mall's specialty leasing program, the mall is allocating an area within the establishment to house local products, including the promotion of cooperative-entrepreneurship.

  "We always support Mandaue City's 2020 vision of making the city the hub for world-class manufactured goods, and we believe we can play a vital role in realizing this vision through exposing locally-made products to the market," said Co.

  The one-week "Negosyo Ko, Buhay Ko" exhibit participated in by nine cooperatives, registered with MCCDC, aims to showcase the world-class products made by cooperative members, majority of whom are employees of export companies, who were affected by layoffs due to the downturn of export trade since the onset of the United States economic slump in 2008.

 These cooperative namely; Tabok Allied Workers Cooperative, Mandaue Subcon, Cebu People's Empowered Youth Laboratory Cooperative, Basic Means and Concerns Credit Cooperative, Paknaanon Multi Purpose Cooperative, Dedon Employees Cooperative, XML Employees Cooperative, San Roque Parish Multi Purpose Cooperative, and Subaspa Multi Purpose Cooperative are being guided by MCCDC, via technical and technology assistance, including the exposure of their products to the market.

 According to Co, the mall is brewing talks with the Mandaue City government, on how to further support the promotion of local and micro industries, considering that their products are world-class and highly competitive.

 Micro entrepreneurs with good and marketable products, including cooperatives are given "special treatment" by Parkmall. Cheaper rental rate for these kind of businesses is also implemented, said Co.

 The Dedon Employees Cooperative for instance has been making wallets, sling bags, backpacks, among others, utilizing the excess fabrics and waste products of furniture exporter Dedon Manufacturing Inc.

According to Cooperatives' Bazaar program team leader Heidi Flores, cooperatives usually attract members as their buyers. But now, with the exposure in the shopping mall, they hope to increase their respective cooperative's revenue, thereby alleviating income of the members. — (FREEMAN)