P3 guidelines set; DTI to introduce national conduits

As funds for the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) expected to be released anytime soon, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its micro-financing arm Small Business Corporation (SB Corp) have ironed out the guidelines of its implementation that will help micro entrepreneurs throughout the country.

Being the administration’s program to provide an affordable micro-financing for the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the P3 funding program provides micro enterprises an alternative source of financing that is easy to access and made available at a reasonable cost.

                                                                        

“We’re very much excited because this is our vision in the agency—to help underprivileged by giving better chances to elevate from poverty. Through this micro-financing program, those from the bottom of the pyramid will get to climb the ladder by expanding their businesses,” DTI – Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) Supervising Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said.

                

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez is set to introduce the national conduits and local Micro-financing Institutions (MFIs) for the P3 program.

The Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) is a P1 billion financing program intended to give MSMEs better access to finance and to reduce their cost of borrowing. The fund will also give priority to the country’s 30 poorest provinces.

Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to replace the “5-6” money lending system, the P3 is also seen to help stabilize supply and cost of commodities in public markets, encourage small entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and offer employment and generate income for Filipinos.

The P1 billion fund of the P3 program from the Office of the President will be coursed through the SB Corp., which will accredit partner institutions such as non-bank MFIs, cooperatives and associations to serve as conduit for the P3 funds. With borrowers identified through these, collection of repayments will be efficient.

“We’re very grateful that this Program has become a reality. MSMEs now have an option to avail of cheaper funds to expand their business,” Maglaya explained.

The P3 Program was launched in Tacloban in Leyte on January 25, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on January 27, and Alabel, Sarangani last January 30.

The primary beneficiaries of the P3 Program are microenterprises and entrepreneurs that do not have easy access to credit. These include market vendors, agri-businessmen and members of cooperatives, and industry associations.

P3 will also make it easy for borrowers since it will only require minimal documentation requirement; easy to access with only one (1) day processing of application; low cost interest at 2.5% per month; and easy payment with collection on a weekly or daily basis, as necessary.

Loan amounts to end-borrowers will range between P5,000 and P100,000, with no collateral requirement. END

Ideas for Promotional Products

Every marketing plan should look to include promotional products which is always tied up with your marketing strategy. Promotional products simply create a memorable experience with your product or service.

Free gifts that are thoughtful, creative, and useful make people happy and leave them with a good impression of the product and the brand advertised on it.

Bottle Opener.
A different way to discount and promote your retail products
Instead of discounting your product, consider adding a free gift item. The branded-gift item should be worth less to you than a proposed monetary discount, but should be perceived to be worth more to the customer.

Stressball.
Add personal value to your general marketing message
If you know your customer-base, and you understand what makes them tick, you can add a personal dimension to your general marketing message. For instance, if your promotional item is perceived as “cool’, not only will people be more likely to keep it and use it, they may even collect it (if there is more than one variety). Big brands such as Coca Cola and Mc Donalds are experts in creating ‘cool-collectibles’. Receiving an interesting, branded item can be a great way to create brand awareness, and add personal appeal for your market segment.

Coffee Mug.
Access to valuable advertising space
The majority of people are at work for 8 hours a day, and many sit in the one place, at their desk during that time period. If your current or prospective client is using your branded materials or promo gift in the office, you have secured the most valuable advertising space in the world – right on their office desk! A well-selected promotional product can become a permanent billboard of your brand and your message within a workplace. Another thing to add is to make it look interesting, so it catches attention and useable compared to the normal coffee mug shape.

Powerbank.
Three-dimensional advertising.
In today’s digital world, so many giveaways come in the form of an impersonal discount code or an email link. However, despite the technology, humans are still very much the same, and people still love something that they can touch and feel. Receiving a free tangible object is exciting for most people, and usually far more interesting than any digital promotion. Creating an item that is tactile, personalized and meaningful enhances brand awareness. The resurgence of vinyl records in the digital music age is an example of the need for people to have and hold something physical. People like things that they feel are ‘for them’ or ‘about them’. The next time you are thinking of a promotional item, consider that a tangible product can have far more meaning to someone than anything in the digital world.

I'm sure there are a lot more that you can think of as promotional product. Like what I've mentioned above, promotional products goes hand in hand or part of your marketing strategy.

This post is made possible by:

CTG Printz Enterprise, one of the growing businesses in the printing industry, is a reliable supplier for promotional items, providing full service from concept design to printing, in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. They also offer digital, offset, silkscreen and photo lab printing.

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TravelBook.ph announces first Trip to Japan winner

TravelBook.ph, the leading online travel agency in the Philippines, announced on their official
Facebook page today their first Konnichi-WOW promo winner. Erwin Sarmiento from Quezon
City is set to have an all-expenses paid trip to Japan.

Sarmiento’s prize is inclusive of round trip plane tickets, free hotel accommodation, and pocket
money. He also has the option to bring one companion to his trip.

The Konnichi-WOW raffle draw was held last April 11, 2017 with the supervision of Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI) Representative Rhoda Sevillino and Travelbook.ph Business Planning
and Market Strategy Officer Mary Angeli Pasquin.

Sarmiento is the first of the three winners of TravelBook.ph’s Konnichi-WOW promo. The said
promo was launched last March 10 in celebration of the company’s fourth anniversary and
continues until May 31, 2017. Two more winners will be announced on May and June 2017
respectively.

Interested travelers can still join the next raffle draw simply by booking their next hotel
accommodation through the TravelBook.ph website or the TravelBook.ph mobile app available
in Android and iOS.

For more details about the promo click here.
Read the full mechanics here.