A GLIMPSE OF SUCCESS
(A Romance Inspired Business Endeavor)
Loomweaving in the province of Bohol is a century old industry utilizing raffia fibers derived from young buri leaves. Handloomweaving has been handed down from generation to generation by skilled artisans and craftsmen in nine (9) municipalities of Bohol.
This industry has gained considerable acceptance in the world market brought about by the emerging global demand for environment-friendly products. The inherent dexterity and diligence of approximately Five Thousand Sixty Two (5,062) active Boholano loomweaving individuals enabled them to explore new possibilities in designs and colors, which have positioned loomwovens as a seller’s market.
The Taming Loomweavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative is located in Barangay Taming, Danao, Bohol a mountainous barangay some 89 kilometers away from the capital city of Tagbilaran and 3 kilometers from the Poblacion. It is an agricultural barangay with rice, vegetables, peanuts, and coconut as major crops.
Just like any other typical agricultural communities, the primary source of income then came from the harvest of these agricultural crops. Although additional income has been derived from swine, poultry and livestock raising. These activities at least helped the residents in their economic difficulties.
Things started to look bright for the residents when the barangay was identified by the Department of Agrarian Reform as an Agrarian Reform Community (ARC). A variety of interventions came their way one of which is the skills training on loomweaving conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry – Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (DTI-CARP). The activity was conducted at the Taming multi-purpose hall with only 15 participants and 4 handlooms provided by the Philippine-Australia Technical Support for Agrarian Reform for Rural Development (PATSARRD). The trainer then was the former manager of the Pinayagan Sur MPC a cooperative also engaged in the loomweaving business. During our seminar a romantic engagement took place between the trainer and one of our participants and after a month of courtship marriage took place. This is a good sign for the project because the group found a leader with technical expertise to guide them in this business endeavor.
With the assistance of the Jose L. Gonzaga Memorial Foundation and the strong support of the Local Governement Unit of Danao they organized the Taming Loomweavers Association. They started to venture in the loomweaving business and with the marketing assistance of Ms. Natty Gonzaga they started serving small time buyers from Manila most friends of the Gonzaga’s.
During the 2007 Sandugo Regional Product Showcase the Taming Loomweavers Association participated in the fair but their products were hardly noticed by visiting exporters and buyers maybe because their products still need improvements and they had a low production capacity. After the fair they took it as a challenge to improve their products with the dream that someday they will be one of the premier loomwoven producers in the province.
With the continued assistance of the Jose L. Gonzaga Memorial Foundation, the DTI-CARP and the perseverance and sacrifices of the members of the group aimed in improving their skills as well as to train more members they were able to increase the number of their weavers from 10 to 25 capacitated weavers. Through the marketing assistance provided by the Jose L. Gonzaga Memorial Foundation they started serving orders from Manila though these are minimal orders but this serve as an inspiration to the weavers to work and improved their skills because they believe that this will be the stepping stone for more orders from Manila-based buyers.
The weavers did not expect that the skills they learn would become their main livelihood. The skill has since helped their respective husbands bring food to the family table and send their children to school.
In May 2008, the Department of Trade and Industry- Bohol Provincial Office conducted a product development clinic funded by the OTOP funds. Soliven Designs and Consultancy Services, a Manila-based company was tapped to do the product clinic with Mr. Rey Soliven as the design consultant. Two design collections were introduced - the African Collection and the Elm Collection with 14 designs in the collections. Prototypes were made out of the designs given in different color combinations.
During the 2008 Regional Product and Raw Material Showcase their product caught the eye of visiting exporters like 33point3 Exports, Island Accents International and Manila Economic & Cultural Office and most of local buyers and tourist. They have generated a total cash sales of Php 25,000.00 and Booked order of Php 504,000.00 and a number of sampling orders for development from big time exporters and resort owners.
Such exposures encouraged the cooperative and its members to go beyond production level so as to hone their rural entrepreneurial capabilities, build up the confidence of the cooperative in promoting its products, and provide a venue for the cooperative to go into marketing and networking.
Marilou Cosare, the manager of the cooperative, admits that never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the project would go this far. She vows that such exposures to these exhibits and fairs have transformed their perspectives from passive to more progressive outlook, which she hopes to be emulated by other organizations. Moreover, she claimed that they have now acquired a higher level of confidence to manage their economic activities.
With one foot now inside the international market, there’s no stopping the Taming MPC to continue weaving its way to a brighter tomorrow. ***
Sandugo 2008 emphasized the role of SMEs in the economy
Laying the foundation for globally-competitive SMEs
The Sandugo Regional Product and Raw Material Showcase devoted a day celebrating the role of micro, small and medium enterprises in nation-building and economic development. July 24, 2008 marked the SME DAY for the province of Bohol starting off with a motorcade from DTI Bohol office to ICM – Activity Center. The day highlighted the initiatives of the Bohol SMED Council, launching of DTI-SMEDSEP Programs along with the launching of SPIN Program and the ICT Council which are all geared to support the SME community.
Partners from the private sector, national government agencies, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) came to support the activities. Focusing on SMEDSEP, DTI 7 RD Asteria Caberte presented about SMEDSEP, Mr. Volker Steigerwald, GTZ gave a message on Partnerships, Dr. Elpidio Magante, President, CVSCAFT talked about the SMEDSEP-CVSCAFT Project, Engr. Ramir Bonghanoy, President, Cebu GTH Foundation presented about the SMEDSEP-CVSCAFT-Cebu GTH Foundation Partnership, and Ms. Emilia Roslinda, PROCESS-Bohol presented the SMEDSEP-LRED Project. Signing of Memorandum of Agreements of the following SMEDSEP-CVSCAFT –DTI, SMEDSEP-CVSCAFT-GTH-DTI, SMEDSEP-Abatan River Council-Cong. Chatto –DTI and SMEDSEP-Abatan River LGUs-DTI ensued.
Looking at the Philippine scenario, over 99 percent of business establishments, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in the Philippine economy. SME potential for creating jobs is large, yet its growth is hampered by a weak business and investment climate --- low product quality, low productivity and low production technology.
With an improved business and investment climate, SMEs can help in the country’s economic growth by: generating jobs, increasing income and reducing poverty while maintaining an ecologically sound development in all levels.
The Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (SMEDSEP) is conceived to help improve the business and investment climate for SMEs. This is a project of Technical Cooperation between the Republic of the Philippines & the Federal Republic of Germany implemented by the Department of Trade & Industry & the German Technical Cooperation. The program aims to support an SME sector that is globally- competitive by raising the efficiency and product quality of domestic industries. The SMEDSEP has the vision to make Visayas as the location of choice for competitive SMEs
Although focusing on the Visayas, SMEDSEP ensures that experiences are communicated to the national level, so that these models for improving the business and investment climate may be promoted and replicated in other regions. Among others, the SMEDSEP program focuses on the harmonization of the National SME Development (SMED) Plan and the Promotion and Replication of Good Practices for Improving the Local Business and Investment.
Towards improving the business climate for SMEs, SMEDSEP promotes: 1. Simplifying Business Registration of LGUs, 2. Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED), 3. Business Development Services(BDS), and 4. SME Access to Credit.
The SMEDSEP in Bohol. DTI-Bohol works in partnership with SMEDSEP in the harmonization of the National SME Development Plan. The following is being initiated to improve the business and investment climate in the province:
1. The use of the value chain approach in developing Bohol’s priority sectors.
The value chain approach is a key instrument to foster the competitiveness of SMEs.
DTI – BOHOL, in partnership with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) conducted value chain workshops to help producers assess the value chain links in their business and concerned industries.
The priority sectors are: food, craft, and eco-tourism
2. The use of the LRED model to support the LGUs involve in the Abatan River Development Project
Economic Growth Through LRED for the Abatan River Cluster
LRED stands for Local and Regional Economic Development. It is a process for economic growth and employment generation in which the government, non-governmental sector, private, and business partners work collectively to create better conditions and improve the quality of life for all.
The approach is being implemented in the Abatan River Development Program, involving the towns covered by the Abatan River Tour, namely: Maribojoc, Cortes, Balilihan, Antequera and Catigbian, The five municipalities are now planning collectively for the economic growth of their cluster.
3. The use of BDS model in the Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Trade (CVSCAFT), and
• BDS stands for Business Development Services. A demand-driven approach, it involves identifying and developing business services that meet the needs of the market. SMEs, for example, face common difficulties of finding adequately-trained skilled workers from the local labor market.
• In the region, there is a growing need for product designers, especially in the GTH or Gifts, Toys and Houseware sector.
• DTI-Bohol seeks to strengthen the local creative industries and taps the ingenuity of Boholanos, having seen the potentials of CVSCAFT graduates in the design industry.
This school year, CVSCAFT Tagbilaran City campus offers a maiden run of its B.S. Industrial Design, A 4-course that aims to produce good designers who have the passion to concretize new ideas into marketable products. It has an on-the-job component that will expose students to actual design work in the industry as DTI-BOHOL has linked the CVSCAFT to the Cebu GTH Foundation.
CVSCAFT & DTI Bohol officials validated the curriculum of the new course offering at the School of Design and Arts of De la Salle-College of St. Benilde.
4. Support in the upcoming streamlining of Business Permits and Licensing system in LGUs
Streamlining of Business Permits and licensing system of local government units
Investors interested to put up their business establishments in Bohol may look forward to a reduced processing time with more business-friendly procedures and processes as SMEDSEP supports the upcoming streamlining of Business Permits and licensing system of local government units.
In a nutshell, that’s how DTI with SMEDSEP helps lay the foundation for a globally-competitive Philippines.
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