Smiles Beyond Borders: 29TH Negros Trade Fair

 

Smiles Beyond Borders, goes the theme of the 29th Negros Trade Fair scheduled for September 24-28, 2014  of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati. ANP is  a group of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Negros Island. ANP’s  membership is grouped into 6 sectors, namely: Fashion and Garments, Food, Furniture and Furnishing, Gifts and Housewares,  Natural and Organics and Agriculture.

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With the  disaster which hit the country recently, ANP has challenged its members to share the graces of their craft to people being in communities affected by typhoon Yolanda and other  natural disasters. Almost a year after Yolanda, many are still homeless and jobless.

ANP believed that  aid must be sustainable, not solely in terms of emergency food and medicine, but in aiding people in the community find new livelihoods so they can rebuild their lives.

ANP believed that  aid must be sustainable, not solely in terms of emergency food and medicine, but in aiding people in the community find new livelihoods so they can rebuild their lives.

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Officers and members of ANP  visited communities in Northern Negros, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Bicol, Cebu and Masbate. With this visit,  they identified  raw materials abundant in the region. Locals were encouraged to collect shells, pandan leaves and other fibers, wood from fallen trees, coconut shells and lumber. These new materials were bought by the association members and were used as their primary materials for their fresh merchandise inventions. Some communities like that of Bantayan were trained in some fresh techniques in weaving and dying pandan leaves and form this into bags. People of San Dionisio in Iloilo were trained in furniture making. Instant livelihood activities were created as ANP members tapped the locals as either a supplier or subcontractors.

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At the Negros Trade Fair in September, these  calamity-inspired products will be showcased, amongst these are as follows:  Jojo Vito’s Marang Lamp with sea urchin shells from Bohol, Marayo’s Sea Jewels necklaces and bracelets adorned with shells from Cebu, Artisana’s Yolanterns decorated with coconut shells from Leyte, Hacienda Crafts’ Macramé Pendant Lamp that uses woven baskets from San Remigio in Cebu, Tumandok’s Haiyan Collection of furniture and furnishing made from coconut wood from San Dionisio in Iloilo, and Kiculo’s pandan-woven bags from Bantayan Island. Some of these wares were also winners of the 2014 Bulawan Awards, a contest that the ANP holds to encourage its members to create, high-design, high-value products that can compete even in the world market.

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Guests checking the Bulawan Exhibit at Robinsons Place ,Bacolod City

With these products, ANP hopes that buyers’ heart will be affected and they will be granted an opportunity to help each time they purchased these products.

This move by ANP is rooted from their very own history as an association. ANP, which was established in the 80’s  during the gloomy years of Negros. While the sugar industry was in crisis several handicraft businesses were built  to give alternative livelihood to farm workers forced out by the sugar crisis and insurgency. During this period, various organizations from the various part of the country had helped the province and would patronize products made in Negros. And now where the province is back in shape, ANP believed that it’s time to give back to others the goodness they have received in those difficult times.

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The Negros Trade Fair has been the venue of ANP to  reach the larger market in Metro Manila. Held every September,  the Negros Trade Fair which is now in its 29th year, is the longest-running provincial trade fair held in Metro Manila.

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The 29th Negros Trade Fair will be open from 10am to 9pm on Sept. 24, 25, and 28 (Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday) and from 10am to 10pm on Sept. 26 and 27 (Friday and Saturday). Entrance is free. For more info, phone 034-434-1000 or 0917-312-1664. Stick to the Negros Trade Fair on Facebook, or send an electronic mail to negrostradefair.anp@gmail.com.

 

 

24 Comments

  1. Anne Reyes

    I am always a supported of the NTF, I visited this fair last 2014 and I will surely visit again this 2015. In fact last year , most of my friends got their Christmas Gifts from the fair knowing the cause behind it. At least we have participated by simply buying.What is the theme for 2015?

  2. Genio Dominic Alojado

    Its nice to know Negros is very generous to share the blessings they have enjoyed. through the decades Negrenses have a lot to be thankful since these works saved many from poverty and desolation brought about by the Sugar Crisis of the 1980’s. ANP’s effort to continuously promote non sugar-based arts and crafts that show the uniqueness of each Negrense. Now in times of disasters, the Negrenses open their hearts to give what they have not yet given

  3. I wish for the success of the trade fair. I love all your work, very creative and resourceful.

    • Thank you Badet Siazon. Yes, that’s what the Negros Trade Fair aims for, that its success will not only stop after the event…it aims for a long lasting impact for the benefit of the people the crafts were created for.

  4. I am a witness of how ANP had helped many people to have a job especially when there was a sugar crisis in Negros. ANP was very successful at his and am more impressed knowing that the help they extend are not only for the people of Negros , but even those from other Provinces in need. This is the kind of “heart” we need today! I hope that more people will be buying from ANP negros Showroom so that this aim to help others will go further.

    • Thank you Runel, yes the advocacy continues. The Association of Negros Producers is now planning for the 2015 Negros Trade Fair which will be held on September of this year in Makati. For each show ANP hopes to forward the business of it’s members so that they will remain true and able to fulfill their missions as a company.

  5. The pieces were great and I’m sure many will support this great cause

  6. I have seen these products during the exhibit and they were all beautiful. In fact I also invited some friends to see and buy these pieces to support this worhthy cause.If we buy products from other countries I think the more that we buy local products to support our brethren in need.

    • Exactly F Pinoy:) We have more reasons now to patronize our own products not only because they are beautiful, but also because they are for a good cause. Thank you for helping us by bringing more friends at the show.The next exhibit will still be on September 2015 in Makati. Hope to see you there.

  7. Nice product Negros has to offer. Sept pa ang susunod, ang tagal naman.

    • Thank you Papaleng. Yes medyo matagal pa ang next na show, but these products are still being done for the benefit of Yolanda victims. Hope that you will help us spread the good news, to reach more people who wanted to share.

  8. I love stuff like this that is put for a good cause – wonderful.

    • Thank you Aisha Kristine Chong.Anything can be offered to a good cause. Just a simple sharing of this article in any social media platform can be done to help promote any cause we are fighting for.

  9. Such a worthy cause. I so hope more can be done to help those unfortunate to have lost their homes and possesions.

    • Thank you Amy.Yes more can be done to help the less fortunate and help doesn’t have to be monetary or items in great amount. Just a simple FB Share or promoting this products in any social media would mean a lot.

  10. I have seen these products during the Bulawan Awards at Robinsons. Me and my amigas went to buy knowing the cause behind these products. I believe that people from Yolanda has not yet fully recovered . it would take years for them to get back from their normal way of living. Lets support good cause like this!

    • Thank you very much L. Villar, this is the time that we need to support one another in order to survive.A simple invitation or any help to promote these products will surely create a ripple effect. Your “message” here is even a great gesture of giving us entrepreneurs a boast to what we are doing.

  11. I am really proud of how far Negrense craftsmanship has gone. I am proud of our beautiful, world-class products. I am proud of people like you who never stop honing their art and craft to improve on their products. You make me so proud of being a Negrense. Congratulations Sir Jo! You deserve every feat. 😀

    • Thank you very much Sigrid. Creativity will continue to flow especially if we are working for a good cause. We need to be competitive so that we can be at far or even surpass our competitors.If we will stop on developing our products we would end up just a retailer of the products from our Asian neighbors, which is not entirely bad but that would mean less job for many of our Artisans.

  12. They have a lot of crafty original products at this fair. I hope they do this again next year.

    • Yes Franc, the Negros Trade Fair is an annual event.Each year The Negros Trade Fair launches new products for shoppers. But this year’s fair is special because this is dedicated for the Yolanda Victims.

  13. Good luck with the trade fair. I hope that people of Metro Manila will support this activity. 🙂

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