Mindanao small producers seek wider markets, stronger business support
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 12 August 2026) — Across Mindanao, small producers and emerging enterprises are making products that reflect local resources, skills and ideas.
But for many of them, production is only one part of building a viable business. They need more people to know their products exist, more opportunities to bring them before buyers, equipment to increase production, and stronger platforms through which their concerns can reach policymakers.
These were observations of small businessmen who showcased their products during the three-day 35th Mindanao Business Conference being held at the LimKetKai Mall here starting Tuesday.
Geri Evangelista, owner of BioSkin Philippines and Bec and Geri’s, raises the difficulty of competing for attention in a crowded market. Entering modern trade can be expensive, he said, particularly when small producers are competing with numerous established brands.
For businesses like his, the challenge is not only production or product quality but visibility. His company manufactures plant-based products using natural and organic ingredients. Evangelista calls for more opportunities to promote their products and connect with other industries.
“We need more promotion and more opportunities for owners like us to feature our products, exposure to different industries,” he said.
Dudy Laranjo from Misamis Occidental, has spent almost nine years producing coconut-based products such as virgin coconut oil liniment, aromatherapy rub, virgin coconut massage oil and vera coco mint roll-on through Kesitah Wellness Products Trading and Manufacturing.
For him, reaching a larger market requires more than promotion. He also wants his products to meet halal requirements because he sees halal certification as a way to reach more consumers.
But he also needs the capacity to produce more. “We need more equipment for production to scale up our business,” Laranjo said.
He said government support for equipment procurement, training and seminars could help local producers expand. Promotion, he added, should also be strengthened, including through social media and other platforms.
“It would also be better if the government could provide equipment, along with more training and seminars, to help support and promote our local producers because they are also part of our tourism,” he added, emphasizing that local enterprises can contribute to tourism.
In Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, the call for visibility is connected to an initiative that began with a different problem: waste. The local government’s circular-economy initiative converts various types of discarded plastic into products such as plaques, chairs and benches.
Forester Wilson A. Hansol, of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), said the initiative receives materials and support from some companies, including by-products that can be processed into new items.
The idea is to reduce waste while also reducing the need to use wood for some products. But the project has encountered challenges of its own. Hansol said molding and machinery remain among the difficulties, while technical expertise is also limited.
The project has been operating for about two years and has also generated employment opportunities for skilled workers, including carpenters, painters and electricians.
Even with local government funding, however, Hansol said promotion remains a concern. The initiative has plans to expand, with additional machines expected, but building its production capacity and getting its products known remain important.
“Even though we have funding from the local government, what we really need is promotion,” he said, adding that the initiative also needs to strengthen its capacity as it prepares to expand.
The project illustrates another dimension of business advocacy: local economic initiatives can simultaneously address environmental problems and create jobs, but they still need the tools and platforms to become sustainable enterprises.
Tagoloan’s efforts also extend to products made by residents. Niko Niño Seno, Zoning Officer I of the municipality, said Tagoloan also supports scented candle-making activities in connection with its patronal celebrations.
Residents and individuals make the candles, giving people an avenue to exercise their creativity and showcase their skills. The activity is then coordinated with the Municipal Economic Enterprise Development Office (MEEDO).
But like other community enterprises, its potential depends on whether those products and skills can move beyond a single event or local audience, Seno noted.
The need for market exposure was also raised by young farmers from Libona, Bukidnon, which is particularly important because they are producing products that consumers may not immediately recognize.
Christopher Rabago, a young farmer who presented products from regional young farmer awardees, said their group produces lettuce chips and lettuce ice cream. The products are not common in the market.
“One of the problems we encounter is that our lettuce products, such as lettuce chips and lettuce ice cream, are still not widely known,” Rabago said.
Some people become curious and eventually buy the products, he said. But curiosity alone is not enough to build a sustainable market.
The young farmers want more opportunities to participate and promote their products. In their group, women handle production while men focus on marketing through stores, exhibits and other venues.
Rabago said they hope for more ways to introduce their products for free, not only to consumers in Region 10 but throughout the country. He said he calls for more platforms for them to be discovered and reach potential buyers and consumers. (Ivana Janlee A. Otoc / MindaNews)
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