Saint Louis University’s Community Extensions and Outreach Program Office (CEOPO), together with representatives from the Department of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship (DBAE) and the Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) Department of the SLU School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies (SAMCIS), conducted a training on branding, packaging, and labelling cacao products in Tublay, Benguet on 22 February 2025. 

Held at Caryl’s Haven Café 5-758 Palew, Caponga, the training aimed to assist the members of the Cacao Growers and Processors Tublay Association (CGaPTA) by enhancing their knowledge and discussing strategies for marketing their business and products. Dr. Carmelita W. Amistad, a coordinator of this workshop and a faculty member of the HTM Department, states that this is not the first training they have organized with the aforementioned association.

In her welcome speech, CEOPO Director, Mrs. Charmaine P. Mendoza, related the term “Binnadang,” which means coming together and working as one community for the benefit of everyone to the event. “We gather together, we learn together as one. So that is our mission, “ she stated.

Ms. Lorraine B. Ngaosi, a DBAE faculty member, presented the basics of packaging and labeling products. “Marketing starts with the identification of who your customers are,” she explained, highlighting the importance of knowing who the target consumers are. 

In the afternoon, a workshop led by the Graduate Program Coordinator for Accountancy, Business and Management Cluster of School of Advanced Studies (SAS) and also a faculty member of DBAE, Ms. Leilani De Guzman, focused on business management, highlighting the association’s mission and vision. She gave the participants a chance to make a blueprint of how their business would function. Moreover, Ms. De Guzman reiterated the significant role of their clients. “It is the customers who determine the strengths and weaknesses of your products,” she said.

By the end of the workshop, CGaPTA President Dr. John Tinoyan stated how this session has amplified his knowledge on which areas to prioritize and improve for their cacao products to reach a wider market. “Kaya we had to form an association, maghanap ng pangalan, and then yung mga individual pwede naman silang magtanim and magprocess. Para pag sama-samang paggawa, pagdevelop ng cacao industry, mas malakas. Hindi lang dito sa Tublay kundi sa buong Benguet.” (That’s why we had to form an association to create a brand name, and then the members could plant and process Cacao seeds. So, if we work together in production, the development of the Cacao industry would be more vigorous not only here in Tublay but in the whole province of Benguet.)

The program affirms SLU’s commitment in maintaining and promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) No. 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), No. 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and No. 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

(Article by Ydelvess Faith Morales, UIO Intern | Photos by Kyla Moreno, UIO Intern)

Original article from UIO, Saint Louis University.