Aldeguer sets program for micro-entrepreneurs

CEBU, Philippines - The Islands Group has rolled out an “inclusive business program” to give home-based makers of Cebuano “kakanin” or local delicacies to take advantage of the growing “pasalubong” sector.

Tourism capitalist and Islands Group president and chief executive officer, Jonathan Jay P. Aldeguer announced yesterday that the group will start the ball rolling in capacitating the local micro-entrepreneurs especially the makers of local delicacies such as biko, tagaktak, bibingka, kuchinta, pichi-pichi, palitaw, sapin-sapin, puto and sikwate, among others to take part of the lucrative business under the souvenir sector, through establishing the "inclusive business program," wherein they can be given an avenue to grow and expand.

Initially, Aldeguer invited some local delicacy makers to be part of the company's Islands Pasalubong Center, in its Islands Pinoy Deli section.

Aside from letting these micro-entrepreneurs display and sell their products at the outlet, Aldeguer said the program will also include providing them subsidized rent, giving lessons on proper branding and packaging in partnership with the Department of Trade and industry.

At present, Aldeguer started this concept in his 6th Islands Pasalubong Center at Salinas Drive and ultimately replicate the system in all his outlets in Cebu, as well as in other parts in the country.

"We are trying to establish a profiling process. If they have the quality of entrepreneurs who want expand their businesses," he said in an interview yesterday.

 While enabling the small and micro-entrepreneur is a worldwide trend adopted by some corporations and most governments, Aldeguer said that the Islands Group will start this new trend in Cebu in creating an effective platform in pushing the cottage industry to grow and maximize its big potential.

 With this program, Islands Group, which is the one-stop souvenir or pasalubong retail arm of the company, will initiate the lead of empowering the micro-entrepreneurs whose businesses thrived in years along the sidewalk or in the sidestrips of wet markets.

By August, all "kakanin" products currently available at the Salinas Drive outlet will be available in all its seven outlets spread in Metro Cebu.

Similarly, Aldeguer said the same program will be adopted in all Islands Pasalubong Center nationwide, promoting local delicacies in different Cities and provinces.

"We are once again introducing a new experience by tweaking and improving on an existing concept and just making it better by reinventing and innovating yet again as expected of an islands company. We did this with souvenir items, island hopping, value hotels and this time we are focusing on pasalubong," he said.

Islands Pasalubong creates a hassle-free, one-stop shopping experience for both locals and tourists by offering wide variety of products all under one roof. Cebu's biggest name in the pasalubong business including Shamrock, Titay's Cebu's Best, 7D and Philippine brand, among others. Along with the big Cebuano brands, Islands Pasalubong also carries food items by small-time local businesses around the province such as dried fish (buwad), peanuts, dried fruits, chicharon, ampao and others.

"Islands Pasalubong is also more than just a retail store, it focuses on the rediscovery of popular Cebuano brands and homemade traditions that's hard to find these days. Cebu has become more cosmopolitan in recent years and this is the chance to reconnect with old favorites that remind us of the flavors our childhood, summers in the province and all the simple things that make us Cebuano," Aldeguer concluded. (FREEMAN)