Pasalubong Center SMES suffer low sales in May

THE small and medium entrepreneurs at the cityrun one-stop shop Pasalubong Center suffered from decreasing sales for the first 15 days of May.

Speaking before reporters during the I-Speak Fourm yesterday, Maribeth Lumactod, Pasalubong Center chief, said the sales from May 1 to 15 were only P216,000.

“Baba gyud siya and compared to previous months,” Lumactod said.

She said the enrolment for school year 2013- 2014 and the Typhoon Pablo may be the factors that affect the sales of the center.

However, Lumactod said they do not mark targets for the center since the government has no author- ity to collect, pending the proposed resolution for the Pasalubong Center.

The center only used the sales during the Kadayawan Festival last year that reached P500,000 as the basis of comparing their collection

“It was the highest, so far, since the center was opened to public on March 16, 2012,” she said.

She said the sales in the center are high during the city’s major events like Kadayawan every August, Pasko Fiesta in December, and Araw ng Dabaw every March.

Narceinne Biliran, president of the Pasalubong Cen- ter Tenant Group Association, admitted the decrease in their sales.

“Talaga ganun yung trend kasi pasukan,” she said.

Because of this, the center, through it chief, is doubling its efforts to invite more locals and tourists from buying quality products.

“We will try to reach or even surpass our sales. They are trying their best how to promote their products,” Lumactod said.

The Pasalubong Center is presently undergoing renovation to attract more locals and tourists from purchasing local products.

“Gipaopen ang back door, mahimo siya ug exit area from People’s Park. So naa na gyud na mamalit ana,” Lumactod said.

Cnstruction of the second floor of the 443-square-meter center is also ongoing.

As of now, it is already 80 percent in progress.

The Pasalubong Center has variety of local products from handicrafts, processed foods, souvenirs and gift items, indigenous items and fruits in low and affordable prices.

Biliran is inviting small and medium entrepreneurs in the city to apply and display their products in the center.

As of now, the center has 40 spaces occupied. Twelve more spaces are vacant.