FOOD SAFETY. About 100 micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs listen to a lecturer on food safety at the Capitol Auditorium on Wednesday (Sept. 21, 2022). The seminar was a prerequisite to attending Ilocos Norte government-organized trade fairs and exhibits. (Photo by Leilanie Adriano) LAOAG CITY - About 100 micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Ilocos Norte who are into food manufacturing and processing attended on Wednesday a seminar on food safety with emphasis on good manufacturing practices. On Thursday, the participants will be attending another seminar, this time on bookkeeping and financial literacy. While the seminar is not new to her, Agnes Asuncion, a fruit winemaker of Barangay Pias Sur, Currimao, Ilocos Norte, told the Philippine News Agency that learning never stops. "There is always something new to learn and it is something I look forward to," Asuncion said as she joined participants at the Capitol Auditorium. Hosted by the provincial government of
MOA SIGNING. Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Joseph Manotoc and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the Producers to Consumers program at the Quezon City Hall Friday (Sept. 9, 2022). Witnessing the MOA signing were members of the Quezon City Council. (Contributed) LAOAG CITY - The local government units of Ilocos Norte and Quezon City have revived their Producers to Consumers (P2C) program to provide better economic opportunities among micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) and consumers. To formalize the undertaking, a formal signing of a memorandum of agreement between Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc and Mayor Joy Belmonte was held at the Quezon City Hall compound on Friday, where various agricultural products from the province were showcased. The P2C program is under the Kadiwa Program of the provincial government which aims to provide marketing assistance to MSMEs and farmers in the province to directly sell their local products to consumers in
VENDING MACHINE. A vending machine is set up at the Ilocos Norte Capitol lobby in Laoag City to promote local products in this undated photo. On Wednesday (June 29, 2022), Elma Gabriel, head of the city's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Office, said an incubation center will be established at the La Tabacalera Center to showcase more innovative products of the Ilocanos. (File photo by Leilanie Adriano) LAOAG CITY- The province of Ilocos Norte will soon establish an "incubation center" here to showcase local products. Located at the La Tabacalera Ilokano Lifestyle Center just across from the Provincial Capitol building, the project aims to engage local entrepreneurs to establish their innovative products to reach out to a wider market. Elma Gabriel, head of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Office (MSMEO), said Wednesday the provincial government, through the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP or Provincial Board), has approved a total of PHP334,414.50 o
VENDING MACHINE. A capitol employee buys snacks from the vending machine at the capitol lobby in Laoag City in this undated photo. Elma Gabriel, head of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Office, said Thursday (May 12, 2022) the vending machine offers a selection of local products. (Photo by Leilanie G. Adriano) LAOAG CITY - Locally-manufactured products of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Ilocos Norte got a boost here with the introduction of the first vending machine that offers local products at the west wing lobby of the Ilocos Norte Capitol building. Elma Gabriel, head of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Office (MSMEO), said the machine was donated by the Department of Science and Technology to make local products available to a wider market and as part of the DOST's efforts toward a "smarter Philippines." "The vending machine allows you to purchase a variety of snack foods and beverages and it operates 24/7," she said in an inte
LIVELIHOOD TRAINING. Participants are trained on organic soap-making in Ilocos Norte in this undated photo. In partnership with the provincial government, more livelihood trainings will be provided to the public in the future to boost their income. (Contributed photo) LAOAG CITY-The Ilocos Norte government is strengthening its partnership with the state-run Mariano Marcos State University-College of Industrial Technology (MMSU-CIT) to provide free livelihood training for interested individuals in the province. Elma Gabriel, head of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Office (MSMEO), on Tuesday said the provincial government has allocated funds for the implementation of the project this year. "We are collaborating with the MMSU-CIT to improve the quality of life of the people through the provision of livelihood training," she said, adding that training kits for the participants will be provided by the provincial government while the training venue and the facilitators will