MALOLOS CITY—The Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) feted six Bulakenyo businessmen Thursday to highlight the celebration of its 15th anniversary.Mara Bautista, BCCI executive director, said special citations will be given in the rites set at the Barcie Hotel here as a reciprocation for the honorees’ support to the province’s sustainable thrusts.Recipients of the special citations are Pedro Topico, Jason Tan, Corazon de la Cruz, Salud Pineda, Antonio Tengco and Eva Sandel.Bautista said most this year’s awardees are entrepreneurs who started as micro or small businesses that eventually became large-scale enterprises.Topico is the owner and founder of the 50-year-old Topico Photo Studio and Lab, which has 9 branches—7 in Bulacan and the 2 in Metro Manila.Tan founded his company, the Northwing Exports, manufacturing small house décor sold in six foreign countries.De la Cruz is the owner of the LCJ Garment in Santa Maria. It is one of the principal suppliers of the products for SM and other big department stores.Pineda, owner of a popular chain of supermarkets in the province, began her business as a sari-sari store.Tengco brought the first franchise of Max’s Restaurant in Malolos, then to Guiguinto in partnership with Mayor Ambrosio Cruz Jr. of Guiguinto. He is also credited for the introduction of water distribution system in Guiguinto through the Hiyas Water Resources Inc.Sandel is the key man behind the Wella Metal Furniture whose products are marketed by big department stores and furniture outlets in the country. At present, she has satellite stations in the cities of Davao, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.Bautista said strict criteria were used in the selection of the awardees, and also for their being instrumental in the generation of employment and business activities that inspired a big number of their provincemates to also become equally productive.Gov. Josefina dela Cruz; Renato Simbulan and Violeta Luna, BCCI officials; Noemi Saludo, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries president; and Mel Alonzo of Small Business Corp., will present the plaques to the honorees.-- PNA