PANGASINAN entrepreneurs were surprised but thrilled on Thursday after first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos bought one of their products at the Manila Fame, the country’s trade show for quality home, fashion and lifestyle products, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
The first lady was on a guided tour at the event’s opening when she entered the Pangasinan booth and bought a steel lampshade from among the products displayed there.
She was welcomed by the mother of Pangasinan Gov. Ramon Guico III, Arlyn Grace Guico, the prime mover of Project Abound, which supports and promotes products from Pangasinan.
Mariano Aguinaldo, general manager of Aguinaldo Interiors, which produced the lampshade, said he was “very happy” that one of his products caught the first lady’s attention.
“We were not expecting her to buy it. We did not even expect that she’d drop by our booth,” said Aguinaldo.
This is the second time for Pangasinan entrepreneurs to join the trade fair.
Last year, 10 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) from the province joined the Manila Fame after Guico prodded the provincial government to support their participation in the fair.
“Pangasinan produces world-class products because we have all the talent and the skills,” she said. “So, I wanted them to come over to the exhibit for everybody to see.”
This year, 11 MSMEs from the province joined the Manila Fame.
Jocelyn Ong Perez, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. in Region 1, thanked the provincial government for its support.
Perez, owner of Crafter’s Joy PH, a manufacturer of fashion bags and handicrafts from corn husks, said that back then, it was “very difficult” for MSMEs to thrive because they were on their own, with no government support.
“Now, I’m very happy that there are many of us here today. And I know that with the provincial government, our dreams of going international will have fruition,” Perez said.
