DTI's Free Negosyo Seminar Batch 3 & How Government Agencies Can Help Local Industries

The third batch of the Department of Trade's Free Negosyo Seminar is launched March 26 2018 at the Vittoria 1 in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. Some innovative products are featured among the chosen mentees from small entrepreneurs and groups in Ilocos Sur.

Most notable has been the "abel" espadrilles and custom-shaped dress and top. Staple food products are the rice cakes (bibingka, leche flan, puto), processed meat bagnet, coffee, sugarcane products - muscovado and balicucha sugars (now, these sweets are worth checking out and supporting because they are organically processed), vinegar, and Ilocos wine basi, and woven bags/baskets from a palm variety.

Suggestions on how local government units and the provincial government offices can help these local producers/manufacturers:
1. Mandate local government offices to support abel products as part of their uniforms. Cost may be a little bit higher but that is to compensate for the actual cotton fabrics used as opposed to the plastic fabrics often preferred by government offices. One example is this comfortable cotton abel top from one of the mentees, probably from Caoayan:

2. Use local food products in their catering needs in meetings, seminars, forums, workshops, and other events such as the Palarong Pambansa for their meals and merienda.
3. Use local and eco-friendly products for their event announcements or invitations such as this from Bantay, Ilocos Sur's ToyKalapawMi made of old book pages:

4. Add more exposure to local industries not only in trade fairs but also target global markets through strategic online marketing and promotion. For a while, even the Department of Science and Technology attempted to help local industries by featuring Philippine-made products in their sponsored website, but it lacked direct and smooth purchasing as well as impossible user-interface. The DOST also refuse affordable workshops to transfer technologies to their local industry clients.

Sustaining local industries remain a challenge not only for policy and government but more so for the entrepreneurs. Rents are very high and the retail industry is currently dominated by foreign but Philippine-based real estate giants like SM, Robinson's, and Ayala. If the national and local governments will avoid intervention,  these MNCs will continue eating up local industries and flood the local market with disposable plastics made from China and processed foods from dubious raw materials while allowing only a marginal return of investment for locals.

Multi-Media Launch

Pulso ti Ilocandia is proud to debut its multi-media efforts! Download or view our printable 'zine here! Or see these 8 pages on your screen! Enjoy!

 

On the cover of our launch issue is the Mark Kramer Pastrana aka Zin Kramer of Streetboys.

And now that we're on it, hold on because the market is opening its doors to other global internet providers - probably Huawei of China - so, start looking on how you're going to get out of your 3-year contract!

Top 10 @ TripAdvisor YAY!

Happy to share that Pulso ti Ilocandia reviewers are at the Top 10 of TripAdvisor!

To have your destination, restaurants, and public spaces reviewed, please call us Philippine office hours at 02-9941372!

Z' BABES: ZUMBA FOR A CAUSE

Z' BABES Second Anniversary turned the night energized!

Z' BABES, group of zumba dancers from Metro Vigan successfully held "Zumba For a Cause", a fund-raising activity on Decenber 3, 2017 at 4:00 P.M - 8:00 P.M. at the Badminton Court of  Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

President Brenda Lazo, Z' BABES, highlighted the three core values; LOVE,  LIVE and INSPIRE in her opening remarks as the backbone of  the group.

Led by Zin Kramer,  Zumba Star Hall of  Famer and other popular zumba instructors from Metro Manila and Pangasinan, members and non-members were gathered and energetically performed for more than two hours without a break. Dancers were monitored by Red Cross team in case of any health problem during the activity.

According to Ms. Ching Alcausin, one of the event organizers, the proceeds of the raised funds will be granted to the Balay-Taripato ( Cabugao and Magsingal) and the students of Alangan Elementary School in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur.

Zumba Fitness for a Cause

The Metro Vigan Zumba Club conducted a fund-raising activity at the Vigan Convention Center Novermber 18, 2017 for their outreach program on December 2017.Clad in colorful neon pink and green that afternoon, it was attended by about 500 members and non-members.

Rotary Vigan Undertakes "Ride to End Polio"

The Rotary Club of Vigan spearheaded the "Ride to End Polio" to raise awareness in October 23, 2017.

"Dedicated cylists from the province of Ilocos Sur, the Rotary Club of Vigan City, Narvacan and Magsingal joined with the cyclist from Rotary Club of Laoag and Metro Laoag , and the Rotary International Cluster I-A joined us in this endeavour," Mr. Steve Tadique, president of Rotary Vigan said. They travelled from Vigan to Alaminos, Pangasinan with an estimated distance of 204 km.

 The journey took off at 5:00 a.m infront of the St. Paul Cathedral.

Mario A. Albalos Library: The Ilocano Pride Has Arrived

by Marge Tadeja

Cabaroan is made up of two barangays in eastern Vigan near the borders of Caoayan.  What makes Cabaroan special today is its unveiling of a humanitarian project funded by a native of the barangay who has migrated to the US  - Jenny Alcausin, a nurse.

This significant project elevates not only the entire ka-Ilocoan but also concretized the elusive ideal that every moneyed Ilocano should aspire for - returning the value of literacy back into our much degraded Philippine society.

The Mario A. Albalos Library or Biblioteka Ni Ayat.

Mario A. Albalos

The facade of the one-storey building library. 

Upon entry, one is greeted with the cheerful bookshelves, tables and chairs.

 The  line of colorful tables and chairs... and at the foreground are - yes - new computer sets connected online!

 

The library has its own wall-mounted flat-screen television, too!

The first question that comes to mind is why Ms. Jenny Alcausin sponsored this project?

The answer might be more than what ordinary mortals might grasp, but then, we can always speculate: I'd say Ms. Alcausin is enlightened. And we can always add a lot more reasons.

This unveiling of project is hoped by GUMIL officers who visited it today to open the floodgates of parading Ilocano's egos and pride in a substantial manner, beyond large houses or latest four-wheel-drive craze, that are soon abandoned by their balikbayan owners, and a lot more means of stating that "Yes, I have arrived."

But who is Mario A. Albalos?

The late Albalos is also a native of Cabaroan, one of its most studious students, one of the most prolific Bannaoag and other early  publications writers, who soon migrated to the US to become a US Navy. His hard work and leadership skills were made known not ony for the heaps of awards he received in his naval duties, but more so among his peers who called him "Mr. Make it Happen." After leaving the navy, he became so involved in community works in Hawaii that garnered him the Thomas Jefferson Award in 1979. He is bigger than life itself, as his works will soon be displayed and rediscovered by everyone who will visit the library.