The Association of Negros Producers (ANP) honored former Negros Occidental governor Daniel “Bitay” Lacson Jr. at the opening of the 38th Negros Trade Fair in Makati City, Tuesday night, Sept. 17.
Lacson, the “Father of the Negros Trade Fair” – the longest running provincial trade fair in Metro Manila, peacefully passed away on Sept. 6, the ANP tribute read by Alan Gensoli said.
“The Negros Trade Fair was Bitay Lacson’s favorite story.
It was his love story. His hope story. His action story,” the tribute said.
The tribute said in 1985, amidst a province reeling in a socio economic crisis, Lacson who was then a 38-year-old businessman pushed Negrenses to seek reforms to lift its people from poverty.
One of these was to provide livelihood by establishing small household and village level crafts and industries.
As lead of the Negros Business Forum, he spearheaded the establishment of a Manila-based marketing activity through which these small entrepreneurs displayed their wares in a car park in Makati, the tribute said.
To encourage participation, as president of Negros Navigation Company, Lacson provided free shipment of all goods for that bazaar.
That bazaar held in the Makati Car Park on Oct. 7-21, 1985, was the 1st Negros Trade Fair.
Less than a year later, he was appointed Governor of Negros Occidental.
“He provided full local government support to every Negros Trade Fair during his term in office, a tradition of support that was pursued by every governor after him”, the ANP tribute said.
In addition to the inspiration that he personally provided the participating start-ups and small business owners, he connected them to agencies and organizations that allowed many of these businesses to flourish, leading the handicraft industry in design, management and export trade, it added.
Under his watch, the group of Negrense based manufacturers who became known as the Association of Negros Producers, collectively provided 12,000 jobs in the province of Negros Occidental, the tribute said.
“To honor the man whose vision, passion and inspiration brought the Negros Trade Fair to where it is now, we would like to invite his wife Tima, one of the 15 housewives who started the ball rolling for the Negrense craft industry, to witness a long and loud ringing of the bell to honor the Father of the Negros Trade Fair,” Gensoli said.
He also invited Gigi Campos, ANP’s first president and succeeding presidents Millie Kilayko, Joey Gaston, Christina Gaston, Josephine Locsin and Arlene A. Infante and Negros Trade Fair chairman Mike Claparols on stage.*