MANILA, Philippines - It's business, shopping, fun and learning at the Grand Kapamilya Negosyo Fair 2 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay. The 2-day fair opened Saturday with entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs and their families flocking in.

Among the popular booths were those of GoNegosyo, Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc. (AFFI), and the Philippine Franchise Association. Many attendees were interested to find out what franchise opportunities are available and what it takes to start a franchise.

Exhibitors showed off their products and talked about their services.

Food and beverage booths were very popular as guests were curious to know more about what's new and hot.

A popular french fries chain gave away fries and allowed guests to try their hand at a fun arcade game. A distributor of tea to the hotel industry test-marketed its bottled green and black tea drinks at the fair.

On the other hand, the maker of an all-natural probiotic kefir drink also gave out sample smoothies, which were a hit. And people enjoyed "drinking" at tables set up in front of a "sari-sari store" put up by an energy drink.

There were also stalls selling meat products, siomai, rice-and-viand meals and street food while giving out information on franchise opportunities.

Lourdes Algaba of Taguig City already has a small business selling rice cakes in Taguig. She went to the fair with her family in tow to check out other food business opportunities. "Food is a common necessity," she said.

Booths with health and wellness products were also drawing the crowds in as they touted their all-natural, organic soaps, shampoos, and lotions, as well as their colognes and perfumes. Massage beds and organic herbal pillows for hot and cold compress interested a lot of people. One booth even offered skin and fat analysis for free.

Fashion accessories and clothing are also sold in the fair, with celebrity-owned booths such as that of DZMM radio host Tintin Bersola-Babao getting more attention.

There were also booths which promoted home appliances such as charcoal stoves and flashlights, office digital equipment, as well as vans which can be used for business deliveries.

Fun time with ABS-CBN shows

Since the fair was organized by ABS-CBN's News and Current Affairs Division (NCAD), there were also booths promoting NCAD shows. At the "Salamat Dok" booth, visitors can avail of free massage and bring home recipes for herbal juices that are good for one's health.

"The Correspondents" had a picture booth, and so did "XXX" and "SOCO."

"Failon Ngayon" had a fun game wherein visitors would have to listen to a sound bite and guess which popular politician gave that comment.

The nature show "Matanglawin" had trivia fun and games, with visitors getting a chance to win goldfish as pets.

But the most popular NCAD booths were those of ANC and "Rated K."

At the ANC booth, wanna-be TV anchors can have the chance to be a news reader on cam and take home the DVD of their news job for P100. According to Cilette Liboro-Co, Head of ANC's Business Development and Partnerships Group, people will read a script shown on the teleprompter while the camera rolls.

"Rated K", on the other hand, zeroed in on the Filipinos' penchant for singing and mounted a videoke right by the entrance, complete with a lively host. Businessman Alfred Datingaling of Batangas City was one of those who gamely sang at the "Rated K" booth and won a prize for it. He said he was at the fair to check out food franchise opportunities since "Batangas is fast booming. Maganda ang business climate," he said.

Lectures

 To help entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs succeed in business, various informative lectures were lined up.

On the first day, financial planner Francisco Colayco talked about the basics of personal finance and setting up a business. "Sixty percent of franchise businesses succeed because they teach you how to avoid problems," he said.

Colayco also advised the audience to save ("earn to keep, not earn to spend"), spend wisely, and set financial goals.

Celebrities like Cory Quirino, Giselle Sanchez, and Gladys Reyes also talked about their businesses in the health and wellness, and food sector.

On the second day of the fair, confirmed speakers include motivational speaker Francis Kong (Entrepreneurship 101), hair salon chain founder Ricky Reyes, and celebrities Tintin Bersola, Dimples Romana, and Ping Medina.

The full schedule can be viewed here.

Support services

To round out the services offered to the public, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) also have booths at the fair.

At the BIR booth, visitors can get the forms needed for business registration.

The DTI booth, on the other hand, gives out free information on business opportunities as well as assistance on business name registration.

After all that walking around, though, it's understandable to get tired. The Blind Massage booth can give short head and shoulder massages to help visitors relax.

The ABS-CBN Grand Kapamilya Negosyo Fair 2 will run until Sunday, August 15. Admission fee is P50 for adults, and P40 for senior citizens.