Jodi Bustos, Eagle News Service
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Small business owners are now preparing their world-class Filipino made products to attract different nationalities who will gather in Boracay for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting on Sunday, February 19.
Some of their featured native products are keychains, recycled bags, T-shirts imprinted with ‘Philippines’ and much more. They are among the beneficiaries who will benefit in the ASEAN Summit and activities to be held in different parts of the country, including the famous white sand beach-Boracay.
Seven days before the Ministerial meeting, store owners and their staff underwent briefing and seminars to prepare them in winning the hearts of their target market. This opportunity not only helps the micro-entrepreneurs to increase their profits but the Philippine economy will benefit as well.
“Among our best-seller products the foreigners really patronize are dive suit wallets and kite sailing beach bags which can only be bought in the Philippines,” a store owner said in an interview with the government-owned television station.
“I like them a lot and I like the re-made things when you take care of old things and make new things of it,” Pernilla Holmqvist, a swede tourist in Boracay said.
Store owners who were beneficiaries of the ASEAN free seminar on micro-entrepreneurship 2014, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism and Filipino Retailers Association can now apply all the knowledge and tactics they have learned from the lectures.
“It will benefit us in the present and in the future,” one of the entrepreneurs said.