In support of the Financial Sustainability and Organizational Development Plan of CODE-NGO Member Networks, the Cordillera Network of Development NGOs and POs (CORDNET) tried out its Social Enterprise in the Panagbenga festival on March 4 – 10, 2019. This SE also contributed to the colourful business lanes of the Session Road in Bloom (SRB). To complement the one-man staff of the Network, CORDNET member networks like Iyaman and Igorota sent out their staff to support Ms. Rowena Contic in the workforce requirement of the SE.

During the span of 6 days, the team enjoyed the amity of  encountering various characters of people in search of something different to buy from the Cordillera Region and products from the lowlands, the Visayas, Mindanao. Merchandise like Marikina shoes patronized by the highland people were also made available in the SRB. The festival was also a venue for discovering indigenous products sought by customers such as honey, as the Cordilleras are known for its pure native honey and rice coffee.

In terms of profits, the team realized that the mark up was conservative. The income earned during the event was only enough to cover the maintenance of the salesmen and mobilization, hence, there is a need for a simple FS for the next SE activity, which will serve as the basis of the mark up.

However, the overall gain is that we were able to showcase the products of the member networks, while the staff and volunteers experienced the beauty of doing business collaboratively.

The CORDNET booth at the Panagbenga Festival SRB, March 2019