Congressional Spouses launches trade fair at SM Megamall

MANILA, Philippines - The Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. (CSFI), led by its president and chairperson, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, has announced the holding of a trade fair dubbed as "Kabuhayan 2013" on November 7-10, 2013.

The fair, which aims to display finest products unique to every province in the country will be held at the SM Megatrade Hall II, 5th Level, Mega B, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., Senator Cynthia Villar and Secretary Gregory Domingo of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will grace the occasion.

During the press launch, Belmonte said the trade fair will give small-medium entrepreneurs an opportunity to promote and enlarge their market reach.

"It is not only the micro-small-medium entrepreneurs that are being supported here by the CSFI, but we also help the different marginalized sectors like cooperatives, persons with disabilities (PWDs), correccional inmates, women organizations, the youth and many more," Belmonte said.

Belmonte said the project seeks to encourage small-medium businessmen to increase their profit especially this Christmas season. There are already 110 booths allotted for exhibitors who confirmed their participation.

"Some of the spouses sponsored the payment of booths which we offered to micro-entrepreneurs to display and sell their products. This is the support extended by the spouses but the profit goes directly to the exhibitors or sectors from their respective districts that they pledged to help," Belmonte said.

Event Chairperson Kristine Singson-Meehan from the 2nd District of Ilocos Sur said the profit from sales of these products will go directly to the traders or small business entrepreneurs.

"The only assistance we extend is help them market and promote their products here in the National Capital Region (NCR) because most of their products are only sold in their provinces and are not known to many of our countrymen," Singson-Meehan said.

Joy Tambunting, wife of Rep. Gustavo Tambunting (2nd District, Parañaque City), said their district will showcase their famous Parañaque doll and embroidery products called "calado" or an embroidery technique seen in their handkerchiefs because of their intricate embroidery designs. These are made by the senior citizens in their community, mostly women.

Meanwhile, Hannah Nuño-Macrohon, daughter of Rep. Lilia Nuño (2nd District, Zamboanga City) said they will join the trade fair and showcase their famous products despite the recent crisis that befell their province.

"I have talked with our correctional (provincial jail) in Zamboanga and we will showcase the products from their livelihood, products of people with disabilities, Yakan cloths and food products like our famous Alavar sauce and "lokot-lokot" or rice roll. I think in Cebu they call it tinaktak," Macrohon said.

She hopes that through this trade fair, the people in Zamboanga will be able to rise again. As they say it in their dialect, "Levantas Zamboanga!"

Also, present during the press launch were Paula Camille Bondoc, CSFI Executive Director, Michelle Antonio from AGBIAG Partylist, Romi de Jesus ftom Gabriela Partylist, Edgar Rubiano from the Lone District of Pasay City and Laarni Roque from 4th District of Bukidnon.