The Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig, Pasig Business Club and Ex-Link Events opened the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs’ Expo at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall with a bang, as representatives from government and civic organizations attending the said occasion.

Among the guests present in the opening are Cooperative Development Authority OIC Chief for Project Development and Assistance Division Mr. Julio Casilan, Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines’ Director for Industry Relations Mr. Miguel Angelo C. Villa-Real, Pasig City Business Club President Ms. Elvie Tarrobal, Ortigas Center Association Inc. General Manager Ms. Malou B. Reyes, Rotary International District 3800 Governor for RY 2017-2018 Atty. Salvador C. Quimpo, Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig President for RY 2017-2018 Ms. Mary Ann Ong Santiago, and Rotary Club Presidents from the Pasig City area.

Ex-Link Events Chief Executive Officer Ms. Michelle D. Ballesteros gave emphasis on the Unlad-Kaakbay Community Livelihood Expo Promotion and Market-Matching Project, wherein the Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig and Ex-Link Events help community entrepreneurs in showcasing their products and services to the general public, taking into account how Ex-Link has been helping entrepreneurs to grow their business almost seventeen years ago with its first Hobbies Turned Business Fair.

This year’s beneficiaries are community livelihood enterprise from Pasig City selling desserts, peanut butter, bracelets, curtains and rags; Live for Others Movement supported by the Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig; and the Kabuhayan sa Waterlily livelihood project of the Rotary Club of Pasig.

---

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs’ Expo is sponsored by AXA Philippines, Eastwood Global Plaza Luxury Residences, Golfhill Gardens, CDO, Citibank, Jack N’ Jill Calbee, Nissin Ramen, Brother Philippine, Enchanted Kingdom and Hotel Sogo; and supported by Rotary International District 3800 – Zone 6, the Rotary Club of Mutya ng Pasig, Pasig City Business Club, Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, Ka-Entrep Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines, and Chase Technologies Corporation; with media partners GMA, Barangay LS 97.1, Asenso Pinoy, EntrepTV, Light Network, Star Music, 702 DZAS, Business Café, Malaya Business Insight, BusinessWorld, The Manila Times, MoneySense magazine, Locale City Guide, Azrael’s Merryland, Astig.ph, PSST.ph, Negosentro, World Executives Digest, Wazzup Pilipinas, Pisig Ad Network and Young Entrepreneurs’ Society of the Philippines.

Calling all Entrepreneurs, Sales and Marketing Professionals! Join the Fellowship Nights at the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo this July 28 and 29.

In a time where people communicate online, it's still best to socialize in person. Studies have shown that personal meetings are still effective compared to just a simple call, text or email - this also applies in networking with fellow professionals in your field.

The PBEX has done its successful Business-to-Business Meetup two years ago, and now we're bringing it back for the benefit of anyone who is longing for a professional social meeting to help grow their business.

The schedule for the Meetups at the Megatrade Hall 1 on July 28 and 29 are as follows:

Friday, July 28 Activity Area	Saturday, July 29 Activity Area
For Entrepreneurs 5:00pm to 7:00pm	For Sales Professionals 6:00pm to 6:30pm For Marketing Professionals 6:30pm to 7:00pm

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents.

The Ka-Entrep Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines (Ka-Entrep) will open the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo with their SME Exhibit and Forum on Friday, July 28, 2017.

Established almost a decade ago, and now with over nine (9) entrepreneur centers across the metro and nearby provinces, Ka-Entrep has been rallying to empower entrepreneurs in order to empower the nation through its programs that aim to empower entrepreneurs, encourage entrepreneurship and establish enterprises.

At PBEX, Ka-Entrep will share tips for aspiring entrepreneurs and businessmen on how to empower their business at the SME Forum. They will also have their SME Fair which showcases products and services of their members. These will happen on Friday, July 28 at SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 1. Admission is free, and seats come in a first-come, first-serve basis.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents. Program lineup subject to change without prior notice.

Small and Medium Enterprises make up the majority of companies in the country, and large companies also depend on SMEs that they can supply with the necessary items they need to do business.

In an effort to improve business processes in the SME industry, the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneur's Expo has invited entrepreneurs and consultants to share tips and ideas on how they can grow their business further.

The Entrep Success Forum (to be held on Sunday, July 29) feature business owners Mr. Von Ryan Reyes (King’s Care Laundry) and Mr. Jerome Arenas Lustre (JBooks Consultancy Services), business consultant Prof. El Pangulayan Buelva (Host of the Business Café radio program) and marketing educator Prof. Jerry Yao as they share business tips from cashflow to human resource management to marketing and business expansion. This forum is open to everyone.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents. Program lineup subject to change without prior notice.

Social Media is already at its peak in the country – according to data from the recent data from consultancy firm We Are Social, the Philippines is the world’s No. 1 in terms of time spent on social media. If your business is still not hopping in the bandwagon, here’s your chance.

This July, the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneur's Expo has invited social media professionals to share with you the basics of how to use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Blogging as a way to communicate your business to everyone.

On the #SocialMedia for Business Seminar (to be held on Saturday, July 29), we are featuring The City Roamer’s Alwin Aguirre, The Reimaru Files’ Chad Ramos, Encyclopevia’s Via Galang and Social Media Influencer Christian Melanie Lee as they share their experience and expertise in the fields of Blogging, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and to give you tips on how each platform can help you boost your business.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents. Program lineup subject to change without prior notice.

This July, Ex-Link Events proudly presents the 8th year of the Philippine Business and Entrepreneur's Expo, featuring not just one but six main activities during the three-day event which aims to help Small and Medium enterprises.

First up on Day 1 (Friday, July 28) is the Marketing Pitch Competition, wherein students from all over the metro are invited to pitch their ideas, products or services to see which is the best among them all. (For inquiries on the Marketing Pitch Competition, email jay.agonoy@exlinkevents.com.) This is followed by the B2B Meet-up which aims to help businesses get new contacts and close new deals.

On the second day (Saturday, July 29) is the Social Media for Business seminar featuring key resource speakers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Blogging as they share how these tools can help in your business. This is followed by the awarding of the Ten Best Mompreneurs in the community.

The last day is not without a bang as entrepreneurs and consultants from various industries share their knowledge, expertise and experience at the Entrep Success Forum, followed by the recognition of PBEX's SME Idols for 2017.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City this July 28 to 30, Friday to Sunday. We are open for exhibitors to showcase their products and services - get in touch with Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887 or 535-1150; SMS (+63) 920 981 4376 or (+63) 920 924 2532; email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents. Program lineup subject to change without prior notice.

Social Media is utilized by companies big and small alike, and if you haven't got the grasp of social media, then this is the opportunity to learn how to use it for your business.

Join us as resource speakers teach us how to leverage YouTube, blogging, Instagram and Facebook for your business at the "Social Media for Business" seminar on the second day of the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo this Saturday, July 29 starting at 1:30pm.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will happen at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. Exhibit your products and services here by calling Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887, SMS +63920-981-4376, +63920-920-2532, email info@exlinkevents.com or message us on Facebook @exlinkevents.

The last weekend of July will be a productive one as Ex-Link Events brings you the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo, featuring various activities for every aspiring and continuing entrepreneur each day:

Day 1 (Friday)

• Marketing Pitch Competition - The hunt is on for the best marketing plan across schools in Metro Manila.
• B2B Meetup - Meet with fellow entrepreneurs and close deals in person in this quick business networking session.

• Social Media for Business seminar - Learn how you can use social media to boost your business.
• Ten Best Mompreneurs - The search is on for the ten best mompreneurs all over the metro who inspire and nurture their businesses, family and society.

• Entrep Success Forum - Learn the best tools and know inspiring stories from entrepreneurs and key resource speakers.
• SME Idols 2017 - Witness as we give tribute to the people who exemplify the SME spirit.

The 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo will be held at the Megatrade Hall 1 of SM Megamall this July 28 to 30, 2017, Friday to Saturday. Booths are open for all interested exhibitors - call Ex-Link at (+63 2) 633-0153, 643-3887, +0920 981 4376 or +63 920 924 2532. You can also email info@exlinkevents.com to know more about PBEX 2017.

The Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo is your one-stop destination for ideas, concepts and business opportunities, serving Small and Medium Enterprises for 7 years and counting.

Last year's event at the Megatrade Hall 1 is a success, being featured in various media and is supported by organizations and schools around the metro.


The PBEX is now on its 8th year and is open for small, medium and large business alike. Get in touch with your potential customers/clients at one of the most accesible trade venues in the metro, the Megatrade Hall!

Call Ex-Link at (02) 633-0153, 643-3887, SMS 0920-981-4376 or 0920-924-2532, or email info@exlinkevents.com for more info. 

We're always told, "Think outside of the box." This is important especially in business, where trends change, and so are the customers' choices. You're in the heyday of your business, and you have customers, but will the customers you have now be enough for you to sustain your business in the long run?

Don't be fixated in one place

When investing on a business, make sure you're not putting everything in one basket. Putting your business in one place is not enough, and here's why:

• Not every store has its set of regular visitors.
• Not every store's offerings will have the same set of patrons
• Not every store survive being fixated in one place.

Why your business needs to be seen outside of your store and inside an expo?

Take for example our upcoming Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo slated for July. The PBEX last year was fruitful for the exhibitors and visitors, and it has been featured in business-oriented programs on TV:


Ex-Link has managed a lot of Expos for the past 15 years, and this year, we'll be having the 8th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs Expo this July 28 to 30 at the SM Megatrade Hall 1. Both of these events are expected to have a total of 5,000 visitors (based on foot traffic) for the three days of each event, so get your business here now!

Call Ex-Link at (02) 633-0153, 643-3887, SMS 0920-981-4376 or 0920-924-2532, or email info@exlinkevents.com for more info. Take note that we can also arrange for your business to be in other events, so get in touch with us now!

The 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo (7th PBEX) was held August 26 to 28 at the Megatrade Hall 1 inside SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

If you missed the event, don't worry, we have the highlights here!

The 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 1 has just finished its run last weekend. Aside from the exhibit, the 7th PBEX is filled  and here are the five takeaways from the event's conferences.

The opening day of the 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo is going to be big as the ASEAN MSME Business Forum will be held on the first day of the Expo. Witness movers and shakers in the business as they talk about relevant topics that are connected to the incoming ASEAN economic transition.

Mr. Ricky Alegre from BusinessMirror will define the role of the media in the preparation to the ASEAN Economic community and Mr. Willy Arcilla of the Wong+Bernstein Advisory Group will ask us if we are ready for it. On the larger financial side, Mr. Benjie Oliva from the Philippine National Bank will discuss the state of the remittance industry in the time of ASEAN integration.

On the local SME side, DTI-NCRO3 Chief Ms. Elma Viray will talk about the benefits of Negosyo Centers and why businesses need to connect to it, and the Landbank of the Philippines will discuss the connection between SMEs, the financial institutions and the inclusive growth that is the buzzword for today's changing economy.

The ASEAN MSME Business Forum will take place at the seminar room of the 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo inside SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 1 from 1pm to 5pm. For information on how to join, text 0920 924 2532 or send an email at info@exlinkevents.com. Seats are under a first-come, first-serve basis.

This forum is made possible with the Philippine Marketing Association, and is organized by Ex-Link Events and SM Megamall Megatrade Hall. For information on Ex-Link Events, please call 633 0153, 643 3887 or email info@exlinkevents.com

We have a special announcement for people seeking to improve their workplace - we will be having Business Consultant, Coach, RBG Philippines CEO and High Impact Trainer Mr. Raymond Lim to talk about "Harnessing the Human Capital of your Organization: 7 Proven Strategies to Double your Revenue and Triple your Profits" at the first day of the 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo this August 26, 2016 from 11:00am to 12:00nn.

Mr. Lim leads the Money Making Muscles series of seminars, in which he has been through parts of the country to teach people how to be their best when it comes to investing. He has been featured on ANC and the Philippine Daily Inquirer as well.


Don't miss this chance - text 0920 924 2532 to pre-register. Seats are in a first-come, first-serve basis. This is made possible with RBG Philippines.

---

The 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo is organized by Ex-Link Management and Marketing Services Corporation. For partnerships, call 633-0153, SMS 0920 981 4376 / 0920 924 2532 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Follow Ex-Link Events on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The country's economy is changing as time goes by, and all of a sudden, we'll be part of a bigger economic community in the next few years. Unlike before, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will now have to compete in a much larger market which also involves neighboring countries.

To get ahead of the rest, you must equip yourself with knowledge in new trends going around the MSME industry, and if there's one place that we recommend you to do that, it's the Philippine Business & Entrepreneurs' Expo.

The Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo (PBEX) is an event that is part of our conscious effort in cultivating and nurturing the MSME Industry. This three-day event gathers a lot of visitors, and has been running for six years and counting.

This year’s event highlights various conferences that cater to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise industry. On the first day, the ASEAN MSME Business Forum will gather key resource speakers from parts of the ASEAN region to discuss ideas to help MSMEs expand to the region.
The Business Sustainability and Resiliency Seminar will take place on the second day, covering topics related to business preparedness and how to mitigate possible business troubles. On the last day, the MSME Success Forum will gather business owners and businesses for a day of knowledge- and idea-sharing.

Aside from the conferences, there will be a Business-to-Business (B2B) meetup on the first day and exhibits from different business throughout the whole expo.

If you’re in for three days of fun activities, come join the 7th Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs’ Expo at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 1 in Mandaluyong this August 26 to 28. Admission is FREE, and you can register online at http://www.philippinebusinessentrepreneursexpo.com to avoid queuing and receive updates.

For more information, visit the Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs' Expo on Facebook, call 633-0153, SMS 0920 924 2532 / 0920 981 4376 or send an email at info@exlinkevents.com.

The last two weeks showed us that the new government is results-oriented, and what more good example of this is the recent developments in the Agriculture Department (DA):

• Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol urged everyone to ensure implementation of programs to ensure rice sufficiency in the country,
• The National Irrigation Administration, the National Food Authority and the Philippine Coconut Authority are under the DA again,
• The secretary himself vows to focus on food production, which is the raison d'etre (reason of existence) of the department.
• Piñol also said that he plans to adopt the best practices of farmers in rice self-sufficient regions, and asks for updated soil data which has been used for four decades.

It is reported that the Philippines has the second-highest in Asia when it comes to electricity rates, just next to Japan. The high cost of electricity is a problem that is to be tackled by the Department of Energy under the new administration. Meanwhile, a 2014 ADB report puts the country next to Indonesia in the places with high water tariffs.

What does this mean for us, especially those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise industry? High cost of utilities caused by high demand and low supply means that we have to build more sources of energy or basins of water to supply the needs of the public.

Building more sources of water and energy will require money, land and human resources. There are other sources that are active, such as water treatment facilities and wind power plants, but these won't be enough as there will be more people in the future. There's a reason why some people are more happy to invest in companies related to utilities, as it is expected that these companies will build more sources of utilities.

Of course, these things will not just be the government's responsibility alone - we have a part on this. If we know the value of these utilities, we will then take care of it, especially in a country where it is a bit pricey. If the MSMEs have their own measures to conserve water and energy, the better.

Utilities are so valuable - just a blackout or a water or phone interruption will hamper sales and the delivery of services, and if you know the value of something, you will use it wisely.

There are lots of ideas and concepts on doing business in the Philippines and more at the 7th Philippine Business & Entrepreneurs' Expo this August 26 to 28 at the SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City. You can talk with fellow entrepreneurs, or just observe and gain knowledge to polish your business and expand it further.


This event is organized by business event organizer Ex-Link Management & Marketing Services Corporation. For inquiries and partnerships, call telephone numbers 633-01-53, 643-3887 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Ex-Link Events is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Today is a public holiday, as declared by the Philippine government, in observance of the Feast of Ramadan or Eid'l Fitr. Eid'l Fitr is celebrated by the Islamic faith three days after the end of the month of their fasting (Ramadan).

Speaking of the Islamic faith, they are the second largest population in the country, with 94% of them living in the southern part of the Philippines, especially in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) region, according to the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (then called the National Statistics Office).

Imagine that you are in the food service industry and you want to cater to people of various cultures, including the Islamic faith. You will then research about their dietary laws, and why they do what they do. This is what you've found:

• They don't eat swine (pork) meat
• They don't eat meat of animals that has felt pain before being slaughtered, or has died of themselves
• They don't eat blood (thus they have a method of slaughtering that is based on their Quran called Dhabīḥah)
• They don't eat meat dedicated to other than Allah (God in Arabic)
• They don't drink alcoholic beverages
• They have a certification called "Halal," where the produce has been processed with the Islamic demographic in mind making it safe to eat by their standards.

After knowing this, you start to ask your friends who are Muslims what to do next so that you can cater to them. If your business caters to a wide variety of cultures, not just Islam, you will take consideration of the processes they do and the rules that they follow. Having a product or service that caters to, and respect different cultures is appreciated by your target market, so better think about the possibilities.

---

There are lots of ideas and concepts on doing business in the Philippines at the 7th Philippine Business & Entrepreneurs' Expo this August 26 to 28 at the SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City. You can talk with fellow entrepreneurs, or just observe and gain knowledge to polish your business and expand it further.


This event is organized by business event organizer Ex-Link Management & Marketing Services Corporation. For inquiries and partnerships, call telephone numbers 633-01-53, 643-3887 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Ex-Link Events is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We've referred to earlier reports from the Philippine Statistics Authority on the tourism industry's contribution to the country's gross domestic product, which we can consider as well as the income generated by the country through its manpower.

This video gets in the details of Tourism Industry's "Big Chunk" that it has contributed to the growth of the country's income last year, and this is a must-see for those who want to take a step in the business of tourism.


There are lots of ideas and concepts on doing business in the Philippines at the 7th Philippine Business & Entrepreneurs' Expo this August 26 to 28 at the SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City. You can talk with fellow entrepreneurs, or just observe and gain knowledge to polish your business and expand it further.


This event is organized by business event organizer Ex-Link Management & Marketing Services Corporation. For inquiries and partnerships, call telephone numbers 633-01-53, 643-3887 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Ex-Link Events is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

There's this saying that "Nothing is certain but death and taxes." Speaking of taxes, it is the one of the most grueling things that businesses worry about. Yes, we have to pay our taxes - it's our obligation after all - but with all the processes businessmen need to do, they often come out worried or frustrated.

There has been a need to amend and simplify the country's current tax system further, especially for Micro, Small and Medium enterprises, in order to raise the country's economic status further. Easing up the tax payment process means that valuable resources - time, money and manpower - are spent well. The extra time that businesses will save from the amends will then be used for future projects and activities that are valuable to them.

To be fair, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has done measures to modernize the tax system, by doing the processing via the eBIR Forms that can be done at the companies' offices; but there is a lot to do to definitely improve it. Digitizing the process is one step, simplifying it is another.

There are individuals and organizations that are helping MSMEs to make full use of the current tax system, but that's not enough. There are high hopes that the next administration will be doing its best in answering to the needs of the MSME industry, and every business in the country are hoping for the same change.

There are lots of ideas and concepts on doing business in the Philippines at the 7th Philippine Business & Entrepreneurs' Expo this August 26 to 28 at the SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City. You can talk with fellow entrepreneurs, or just observe and gain knowledge to polish your business and expand it further.


This event is organized by business event organizer Ex-Link Management & Marketing Services Corporation. For inquiries and partnerships, call telephone numbers 633-01-53, 643-3887 or email info@exlinkevents.com. Ex-Link Events is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.