Nearly 80,000 visitors discover the region’s best through 126 exhibitors
For four decades, the Negros Trade Fair provided a larger marketplace that connected Negrense businesses with shoppers, visibility, and growth opportunities. This year, the longstanding celebration marked a milestone with BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair, which took place on Sept. 22-27 at SMX Convention Center Aura in Bonifacio Global City.
The 40th edition, organized by the Association of Negros Producers in partnership with SM Supermalls, through SM for MSMEs, and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, highlighted the continuing strength of the Negros Region’s creative industries and local enterprises, with 126 exhibitors across 177 booths reflecting the region’s culture, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurial spirit.
From established businesses to emerging enterprises, the week-long trade fair offered 79,512 visitors an opportunity to discover products shaped by local resources, traditions, and contemporary innovation.
More than a marketplace, the Negros Trade Fair has helped Negros-based businesses connect with consumers and partners beyond the region. Based on submissions from 120 exhibitors, the fair generated nearly P118 million in reported sales. Spot sales reached P75 million, up 39% year on year, while P43 million came from business-to-business transactions.
“Every purchase does more than bring home a piece of Negros,” Joaquin L. San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing at SM Supermalls, said during the opening ceremony on Sept. 22. “It supports a local business, celebrates Filipino creativity, and helps another entrepreneurial story move forward.”
The fair also underscored the role of trade fairs in supporting local entrepreneurship. For small and growing businesses, participation in a major exhibition opened valuable opportunities to introduce their products, strengthen their brands, and engage directly with potential customers. For consumers, meanwhile, the fair provided a closer look at the people and communities behind locally made products.
The Negros Trade Fair’s continued presence also served as a reminder that local craftsmanship and entrepreneurship remain integral to the country’s diverse economic and cultural landscape. More than a showcase of products, the fair presented a broader story of a region’s people, creativity, and capacity to build enterprises that endure.
Through BÚTLAK, the story of Negros continued to reach beyond its borders — one product, enterprise, and connection at a time.
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