Industry leaders and owners of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Hawaii and Ilocos Norte attended a business symposium here on Monday vowed to work together to promote economic growth and development.

Hosted by the provincial government at Fort Ilocandia Resort here, the business symposium presented the province’s vast potential for investment to members of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH), who have been reaching out to their sisterhood provinces in the Philippines to establish connections and develop partnerships with mutual benefits.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Melody Calisay, president of the FCCH and chief executive officer of East West Marketing Inc., shared that in her 27 years in business, she always makes sure that the quality of products and services offered to clients is on top of everything else.

East West Marketing supplies wholesale Filipino dry food products to small businesses across the Hawaiian Islands. Her best-known clients are Seafood City and Pacific Supermarket in Waipahu.

To thrive in the market, Calisay said the quality of products should not be sacrificed over quantity.

“When I order volumes, the quality diminish. This should not happen,” she told the audience.

Marites Yano, a Subway franchise owner in Lihue and Hokulei, meanwhile, shared her experience when they faced a shortage of workforce after the Covid-19 pandemic. She saw it as an opportunity to hire high school students who were seeking employment during their free time.

Rona Leigh Bueno, head of the Ilocos Norte Trade and Investment Promotions Office, said she is hoping that such trade missions would inspire more owners of MSMEs in the province to dream big. Exposure to such events would also connect local business owners with industry players. (PNA)