CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- The Cagayan de Oro city government vowed to support the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the city and Misamis Oriental province.

This, as the Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair opened at SM City Cagayan de Oro on August 18, as one of the core events of the Higalaay Festival celebration.

City Councilor George Goking, who represented city mayor Rolando Uy said during the opening of the Kahimunan trade fair that the city council is crafting an ordinance to drum up support for MSMEs.

He also shared that the city government and the provincial government of Misamis Oriental are venturing into a partnership to put up a fund for a program to ensure the sustainability of MSMEs. 

Underscoring the crucial role of MSMEs in the economy, Goking said both local governments are looking for ways to have programs to help this sector, such as access to additional capital and tax incentives. 

Meanwhile, City Councilor Imee Moreno emphasized that Kahimunan does not only promote entrepreneurship but also self-reliance.

"It is the desire of every local government to produce constituents that are self-reliant. Through this program, we can help our constituents to be self-reliant," she said.

Moreno conveyed her gratitude to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-10 for continuously pushing for the Kahimunan annually, which helps not only MSMEs in Cagayan de Oro but the entire region.

She cited that the success of MSMEs in Cagayan de Oro is also the success of MSMEs in other provinces in the region, while the success of MSMEs in other provinces is also the success of the MSMEs in the city.

"Cooperation will create a bigger, stronger, and better Northern Mindanao," she added.

'Kahimunan' is a local term for 'creations.' The regional fair showcases a wide array of local creations of over 50 MSMEs regionwide. DTI-10 organized the event in partnership with the city government of Cagayan de Oro.

Products on exhibition include coffee, cacao, wearables and homestyle, fashion accessories, bamboo, coconut, processed foods, nuts, condiments, and seasoning, among other products.

The regional trade fair also features Cupping Appreciation and Coffee Brewing Competition, Business-to-Business matching through the Board of Investments, and 7Cs Summit and Expo by the Oro Chamber to explore the potential of seven commodities crucial to the Philippine economy, namely, coffee, cacao, cashew, coconut, calamansi, corn, and cassava. 

Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair will run until August 29, 2023. (APB/PIA-10)