Pertamina Facilitates Overseas Exhibition, Fostered Partners' Batik Cirebon Go Global

Jakarta, January 29, 2021 - Natural, human and cultural resource potentials are abundant in Indonesia. Seeing this potential, Pertamina, through the Partnership Program, seeks to assist resource processors from small and medium enterprises (MSE) to grow and develop until they can upgrade and bring the name of Indonesia on the world stage.

One of the fostered partners who has benefited from the assistance from Pertamina is Efi Utayati. The owner of this Cirebon Batik Adifta MSE got the opportunity to exhibit abroad. "In 2018, we got the opportunity to exhibit at the Indonesia Festival in Bangladesh. From about two large suitcases of batik cloth that they brought, they sold well and only took two pieces home," she said.

Not only that, but Adifta Batik also received training from Pertamina, especially related to product marketing. It starts from import-export training to digital marketing techniques. The effect is quite supportive; Adifta Batik products are increasingly being recognized in an enormous scope. "After Pertamina has included exhibitions at home and abroad, thank God, now the marketing is wider," said Efi.

The old story where Efi had to offer her batik products from shop to shop in Tanah Abang has now been passed. The marketing is currently not limited to Tanah Abang and domestically but has reached several countries in the world. Such as the Netherlands, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Qatar, China, and several other Asian countries. Marketing abroad is also one of Efi's efforts to preserve batik's cultural heritage in foreign countries. Primarily Cirebon batik with Mega Mendung motifs, Taman Teratai motifs, Mataharian motifs, and other distinctive motifs.

Thanks to the perseverance in the business and support from Pertamina, Efi increased her income many times over. She admitted that before becoming Pertamina's guidance, her business turnover was IDR 15 million per month. However, after becoming Pertamina's guidance, her monthly turnover has now increased by three times.

With this increase, she was compensated by the rise in the number of workers. In the beginning, only a few people, now there are about 15 employees who always help her business. This is one of the applications of ESG in the social sector because these workers are neighbors around her houses in Kalitengah Village, Kebagusan Block, Tengahtani District, Cirebon Regency who need work.

Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Agus Suprijanto added, Pertamina will continue to support local cultural products to make it more global. Moreover, batik itself has now become a world cultural heritage. "We must protect all of this by preserving batik artisans and helping them to survive and develop, one of which is to implement SDGs point 8," he concluded.**