DTI trains MSMEs; LGUs brace for OTOP

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry - Cebu (DTI-Cebu) is conducting product development trainings among small-scale entrepreneurs in preparation for various big trade fairs to be held within this year while local government units initiate One Town, One Product (OTOP) display centers to showcase signature items of their municipalities.

In an interview with DTI-Cebu business development division chief Elias Guia Tecson, he said that the agency currently holds trainings in product development and product design among micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs).

This is in preparation for large trade fairs that will be conducted within this year, such as the regional trade fair during the Sandugo Festival in Tagbilaran City, Bohol this July and the national trade fairs in Manila.

"In every fair, there is product focus so we have to prepare for it," he said.

He also lauded the interested participating exhibitors who have been cooperative and open-minded to follow the trend of the market.

Meanwhile, Tecson noted that there are some local government units in the region which plan to set up OTOP display centers in their municipalities within this year as initiatives to highlight the signature products which their localities are known for.

These include the municipality of San Remegio, which will feature its handicraft items and the town of Dalaguete, which will showcase its vegetables.

Other existing OTOP display centers in the province are located in Carcar City which is famous for the footwear items, Argao for its torta and tablea and Carmen for its weaving industry.

Tecson further encouraged other LGUs to have the same initiatives and put up more OTOP display centers in their respective localities.

OTOP is a priority program of the government to promote entrepreneurship and generate employment with local chief executives of each city and municipality taking the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service that has a competitive advantage.

It serves as a marketing strategy to help small-scale entrepreneurs to primarily generate domestic sales and eventually produce a ripple effect in the society as they create more jobs and ease out poverty particularly in the countryside.

It supports the MSME sector to manufacture, offer and market distinctive products or services through the use of indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents.

Last April 2012, three outlets of TindahangPinoy located in Cebu, Clark and Davao were launched.

Located in a 500-square-meter space in Bridges Town Square along Plaridel Street in Mandaue City, TindahangPinoy showcases and sells world-class products catering to the high-quality tastes of local and foreign tourists.

Around 70 percent of products in the TindahangPinoy Cebu outlet will be sourced in Central Visayas and 30 percent in other regions in the Philippines.

Products under the OTOP program are displayed which also include dried mangoes, mango wine, guitars of Lapu-Lapu, peanut kisses of Bohol, stonecraft of Negros Oriental, rosquillos of Liloan, chicharon of Carcar City, wall decors, house and body accessories and others.

To date, Tecson said that the TindahangPinoy outlet generates a monthly sales of P300,000.  /JMD (FREEMAN)