Artwork by Reign Margaux De Guzman of The LANCE.
The Finance and Resources Department (FRD), in collaboration with the Community Extension Department (CED), officially kicked off their new project, which features booths from various sponsors and Letran staff that have their own businesses.
Finance and Resources Department Director, Assoc. Prof. Aldrin Sacristan, DBA says in an interview with The LANCE that the initiative's main goal was to give back and to feature small businesses. He explains that having other means of income should be a priority and that the launched Monthly Bazaar is tied to such.
He adds that it allows both the Letran staff and their employees to earn money. He also mentions a few booths present during the launching are results of the CED teaching business courses and trade work.
Asst. Prof. Leo Bernadas, MBA from the CED says the event is a fund raising activity, a bazaar for a cause that consists of employee exhibitors and vendors from outside the walls. He mentions 70% of the profits are earnings of the exhibitors, 20% will be for Letran and 10% will be allocated to the Community Program efforts of the school.
Ms. Ruth from The Root Prints shares since the bazaar opened, they have not stopped selling their totes, coin purses, and stickers. They prepared for the event by creating designs of their tote featuring iconic lines for the Colegio, such as “Once a Letranite, always a Letranite,” and “Y jamas olvidarte, Letran!” She says the atmosphere of the campus is heartwarming because of the excited reception of Letranites towards their small business.
Kapitan Kamote’s Ken Palosig sells kamote chips, which are healthier than regular potato chips, and even come in different size portions and flavors. The receptions of the students toward the chips were surprisingly supportive, given that this is the first time he set up shop in the campus.
A few tables over, someone very familiar gives a student her change. Ms. Verna Pascual from CLAS Office beckons students over to her booth, purplevernsanythingunderthesun, which sells knick knacks, such as toys such as bubbles figurines, and pens with cute animated characters. She stresses the importance of knowing your audience and identifying which items will appeal to the consumers and will need to be pulled off the shelf.
Accountancy student Caitlyn Valencia shares that despite arriving late with only a few stalls open, she and her friends made do of the event and had fun. She says the Ordinario Cold Brew by Tiktok influencer, Mon (@akosi.mon), was her most anticipated buy from the event, but it got sold out by the time they got to the Salon.
The Finance Department and CED are hoping the event would turn out well enough for the next bazaar to be much more anticipated. Needless to say, their expectations were not only met but they succeeded. Letranites of all ages and year levels were scattered along the campus to peruse the booths and buy products they were interested in. The Letran community are now expecting which vendors and what new items will be seen for the next bazaar, which is said to happen in mid-October.
The Bazaar is more than just buying and selling, it promotes the culture of business and sense of community amongst the Letran Community.