DTI eyes P50 M sales from Zamboanga trade expo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects to raise P50 million in sales from an ongoing trade expo focused on the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Co-organized by the DTI with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Tourism (DOT), the Zamboanga Peninsula Exposition (ZAMPEX) 2019 kicked off on Aug. 1, and will run until Aug. 5 at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

“The expo which will run for five days aims to double its 2018 sales of P25 million. It also aims to raise P1 million of sales from the travel exchange, P20 million worth of investments and 20 new markets for the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” the DTI said.

To address the negative perception about Zamboanga Peninsula by some of those living in Luzon, the government decided to hold the ZAMPEX in Metro Manila to showcase the region’s best food and non-food products, as well as tourist destinations.

ZAMPEX features a trade fair, travel exchange, skills demo, investment forum, digital economy session, provincial pavilions, mini-agri trade fair, daily local government unit cultural presentations, weaver’s booth, One Town One Product (OTOP), as well as Halal settings.

The event’s exhibitors come from the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and the cities of Isabela and Zamboanga, and range from DOT-accredited travel and tour operators, DA-assisted farmers and fisher folks and farmers, as well as MSMEs supported by the DTI.

DTI assists MSMEs through various programs including the Kapatid Mentor ME (micro entrepreneurs), OTOP Next Gen, Shared Service Facilities (SSF), Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3), among others.

Through the Kapatid Mentor ME program, micro entrepreneurs learn about different aspects of business operations from large corporations through a coaching and mentoring approach.