The humble pamaypay (fan) has gone a long way, literally.
At the Philippine Independence Day Reception organized by the Philippine Embassy in Paris on 15 June 2017, Philippine made fans were distributed as souvenir items, with dignitaries and guests being photographed carrying the fan with the iconic Eiffel Tower in the background.
The fans were produced by Mene Crafts and Things, based in Baler, Aurora. Mene’s owner Memerissa Espaňa is a small-time entrepreneur in the remote village of Suklayin in Baler, a small village miles away from the center. The business used to rely mainly on customers from Baler and nearby towns.
Because of the owner’s desire to grow her business, Espaňa sought the assistance of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and oneSTore.ph, with the latter opening doors for Mene’s beyond her hometown.
It is through oneSTore.ph that Mene’s fans were discovered by a customer in France, and although the platform does not carry out international transactions yet, the team behind oneSTore did all they can to make it possible for Mene’s to fulfill the order.
Other products like Mene’s fans have a chance to expand their market beyond their vicinity as well. Not just through online selling but also by joining trade expositions and exhibits like the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) which serves as a venue for many micro, small, and medium enterprises, particularly those that have been supported by DOST through the SETUP program, to showcase their products to the thousands of people who visit the NSTW exhibits.
The 2018 NSTW will be held on July 17 to 21 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City and will feature innovations and other outputs of research and development in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
This year’s NSTW will carry DOST’s flagship catchphrase “Science For The People” with this year’s highlight on “Innovation for Collective Prosperity.”
Admission to the 2018 NSTW is open for the public. Interested participants may register online at nstw.dost.gov.ph.
Motivated to expand her business, Mene España sought the assistance of DOST through Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and oneSTore. The latter has provided the opportunity for Mene Crafts and Things to reach people beyond its vicinity. Her now-famous fans are on the foreground. Photo by DOST-oneSTore.ph
