School promotes Angeleño identity through souvenir shop

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2018/01/18/school-promotes-angeleno-identity-through-souvenir-shop-584550
• Saturday, January 20, 2018

(PR)

THE students of the City College of Angeles (CCA) have launched a unique brand of souvenirs that promote the Angeleño artistry, tourism, cultural and heritage legacies through a shop named “Lamac.”

“Lamac” is a shop manned by the fourth year BS Entrepreneurship students of the CCA. It sells t-shirts, bags, purse, wallets, pouch, mugs and keychains that promote and highlight the tourist spots and the culture of Angeles City in general.

The shop, which is a Kapampangan term for “pasalubong,” was established to engage the students of the CCA enrolled under the entrepreneurship program and experience hands-on business planning and business implementation.

CCA president Dr. Richard Daenos said the store is also a way to encourage love and pride of one’s place as the mementos feature the cultural, heritage and tourism assets of Angeles City.

“As much as possible, we would like to instill to our students the sense of valuing for their own culture and heritage. If we want our tourists and visitors to patronize our place, products and services, we should be the first to do it,” Daenos said.

Professor John Kenneth Ayson, adviser of the class, said “they would like to be the first known line brand of souvenir items in Angeles City.”

“It is hard but with the help of multimedia, we know we can manage to introduce this line of souvenirs,” Ayson said.

The students also eye to help the indigenous Aetas generate more income by promoting their skills and craftsmanship, and by marketing their handcrafted products through a dedicated space in the shop.

During his visit to the store, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan expressed his delight to the sundry of collections being sold by the students of the CCA. He also expressed his support to the store’s social responsibility that supports the indigenous people in marketing their local produce.

“Everyone would like to travel and it is in the nature of humans to return from traveling with a remembrance of the experience. What I am struck about this project is its purpose, and the passion to help our fellow more than the generation of income,” he said.

“We are in support of this endeavor and we hope for this to continue for it is a conducive venue for our students’ immersion and hands-on learning experience,” Pamintuan added.

The store, which is located at the ground floor of CCA, will be launched formally during CCA’s foundation anniversary on February.

Ayson said the souvenir shop is CCA’s entry to a competition spearheaded by the Junior Achievement of the Philippines (Japi), an international organization that molds students in the field of Business Management and Entrepreneurship under the Mini-company program.

The competition is categorized into different segments, which will merit various national awards. The program aims to introduce brand awareness through different strategies under the public relations and marketing department.

Being a member of Japi, CCA came up with a company name “Amana Enterprise,” whose objective focuses on promoting a distinctive brand that will uphold local identity and artistry while fulfilling a meaningful cause.

Aside from CCA, participating schools in the competition include University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle State University, and Miriam College to name a few. The winners will be announced during the awards night on April.