The best of Negros was in Manila from September 22 to 27 when BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair was held at the SMX Convention Center Aura, bringing together more than 178 brands from the Negros Island Region for six days of food, fashion, art, home, crafts, and travel discoveries.
Presented by the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) in partnership with SM Supermalls through SM for MSMEs, the milestone edition celebrated 40 years of Negrense creativity and enterprise while creating fresh opportunities for local businesses to reach a wider market.
Association of Negros Producers president Cristina B. Gaston and SM Supermalls executive vice president for marketing Joaquin L. San Agustin share a toast during Arima, the traditional ringing of the bell, marking the opening of BÚTLAK: The 40th Negros Trade Fair.
Opening the fair, Joaquin L. San Agustin, executive vice president for marketing at SM Supermalls, welcomed entrepreneurs, artisans, partners, and guests to a celebration that went beyond shopping. “We are not simply opening another trade fair. We are celebrating 40 extraordinary years of Negrense creativity, enterprise, heritage, and community,” San Agustin said. For SM Supermalls, the partnership reflected the purpose of SM for MSMEs: helping homegrown businesses gain access to more customers, greater visibility, and bigger opportunities to grow. “Every purchase does more than bring home a piece of Negros,” San Agustin added. “It supports a local business, celebrates Filipino creativity, and helps another entrepreneurial story move forward.”
The opening days drew enthusiastic crowds, with visitors discovering familiar favorites and new reasons to return. Cocina Javellana, Chicken House, and Wawa Bing’s Kitchen were among the early crowd favorites, with their popular offerings quickly selling out. Across the fair, visitors explored a rich selection of local coffee, artisan chocolate, heritage chorizo, cheeses, pastries, pantry staples, and other distinctly Negrense finds.
National Artist for Design Patis Tesoro, Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion, paid a visit: “Negros is very much into handicrafts, into natural things, and I think this fair supports that, and also continues our traditions. The fair is doing well, it’s only the first day and it’s already crowded.”
For Maritess Sanchez of El Ideal, a heritage brand that has been part of Negrense food culture for nearly a century, the fair remains a vital way to connect with customers beyond the province. “We have been around for about 100 years because we never sacrificed quality,” Sanchez said. “The Negros Trade Fair has helped us expand our reach here in Manila.’
The discoveries continued beyond the table. BÚTLAK offered contemporary fashion and accessories, handcrafted furniture and homeware, art, gifts, and travel experiences—each carrying a different story of Negros.
For Mariel San Agustin of Domesticity, the fair provided meaningful market access for products made by the organization’s beneficiaries, with proceeds supporting its continuing values-formation programs. “The Negros Trade Fair has given us an avenue to introduce Domesticity to a bigger market, especially here in Manila,” she said. “SM has opened up bigger opportunities for the fair, especially here in Aura.”
At The Little Vintage Shop, purpose is stitched into every upcycled piece. Co-founder Frannie Manotoc shared how the brand gives donated clothing a renewed life while helping support women and children. “It is like giving abused women and children a second chance, much like the chance given to the clothes donated to us,” Manotoc said.
For participating local governments, the fair was likewise an opportunity to share a fuller picture of Negros. Jerick Lacson of Sipalay City noted how the trade fair has helped broaden the city’s product showcase over the years. “When we joined four years ago, we had to decide on only a few products to sell and showcase,” Lacson said. “Now, our good problem is figuring out how to fit all our products into our booth.”
For ANP President Christina B. Gaston, the fair’s four-decade legacy is ultimately about creating room for people, ideas, and businesses to grow. “For ANP, MSME development is about giving people the opportunity to discover what they can create, what they can become, and where their creativity can take them,” Gaston said. “Over 40 years, we have seen small businesses grow into enterprises and local products reach markets once thought beyond their reach.”
Visitors explored distinctive gifts, art, and handmade finds at BÚTLAK, where every purchase supported a local maker and the communities behind their craft.
The anniversary theme, BÚTLAK, spoke to that continuing journey: traditions and skills passed down through generations, now blooming through new ideas, new entrepreneurs, and new audiences.
Whether visitors came for a food favorite, a statement piece for the home, a thoughtful gift, or simply the joy of discovering something new, BÚTLAK offered a chance to meet the people and stories behind the products.
SM Supermalls is one of Southeast Asia’s largest mall developers and operators, with 90 malls in the Philippines and nine in China. Through SM for MSMEs, SM Supermalls helps Filipino entrepreneurs start, grow, and thrive through market access, business visibility, strategic partnerships, and opportunities to connect with more customers and communities nationwide.
