The Sandugo Trade Expo opens at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City, Bohol and will run until July 27th. It was great to see friends from Bindoy, Tayasan, Guihulngan in Negros Oriental exhibiting their products as well as from Minglanilla, Cebu , Basey, Samar and Baybay City, Leyte.



For me, visiting and promoting trade shows had become one of my advocacies. Why? Because behind every small business venture, whether it be weaving, handicrafts, or food processing there is always a story of a woman whose dream is to put a meal on the plate of their family and to send their kids to school.




Now you ask yourself, what is the difference between these women and those who have regular 9-5 jobs? First of all, in most cases, these women are the sole breadwinners of the family. They have to go the extra mile and work beyond the regular office hours in order to survive.


I have been traveling to various parts of the archipelago and have been interviewing these survivors, from typhoon ravaged Samar-Leyte to earthquake devastated Negros-Bohol and I can see in the eyes of these women all their hardship and toils, as they dream for a better life not for themselves but for their children.


So please, if ever you happen to stop by a trade fair, look into the eyes of the woman behind the stall and you will see a story unfold, that of courage and opportunity, of love and hope, but most of all with your purchase, a promise for a better future.