DTI to open Cebu’s first Go Lokal! store in Ayala

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu will soon have its first Go Lokal! store hopefully by September this year.

This is the target, said Department of Trade and Industry regional director Asteria Caberte, as agreement with the management of Ayala Center Cebu, where the store will be located, has already been firmed up.

The shop will be located at the ground floor fronting Rustan's Ayala, she said.

Caberte added that this is going to be the first Go Lokal! shop outside Metro Manila where several stores have already been established.

Go Lokal! is a design-led concept store and market platform aimed to showcase modern and indigenous quality products crafted, designed, and created by innovative Filipino micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

It also aims to give MSMEs a wider consumer market.

The DTI has partnered with mall giants such as Ayala, SM, Robinsons and Double Dragon to establish these stores across the country.

In Cebu, Caberte noted the agency still hopes to also establish the concept store in the new terminal of Mactan-Cebu International Airport as it seeks to renew talks with the airport management hopefully by August.

The mall location will give MSMEs' local products a prime venue for the convenience of the buying public.

The Go Lokal! program has been designed to serve as incubation, marketing, and branding platform for the best of Philippine MSME products including next generation One Town One Product (OTOP) offerings.

.The program is also seen to benefit MSMEs because it’s a mainstream platform that brings them closer to a more diverse market and creates positive effects to the economy by encouraging entrepreneurship

It is likewise a vehicle to discover emerging suppliers and new products with high market potential.

It is also an opportunity for the country’s micro and small enterprises to go mainstream and test the marketability of their products without incurring the high costs of operating a retail outlet.