To help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) market their products here and abroad, the Department of Trade and Industry is holding the One Town One Product (OTOP) Virtual Trade Fair 2020 from September 24 to 28, 2020. The fair is livestreamed daily at the OTOP Philippines Facebook page and can be accessed by guests, buyers and sellers at: www.virtualtradeexpoph.com.
Madam Honeylet Avanceña led the opening of the virtual trade fair along with Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship Chair Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and other key officials of DTI. The virtual fair was participated in by MSMEs from different parts of the country who have undergone product development assistance like product cliniquing, labeling and design assistance under the OTOP Next Generation project of the DTI.
RD Judith P. Angeles said that Central Luzon has one of the largest number of participants in the event – 70 OTOP MSMEs from the seven provinces of the region – who are participating in the virtual trade fair. They will be exhibiting and selling quality products such as Sabutan and beauty products from Aurora, handicrafts and marine products from Bataan, sweets and delicacies and wood products from Bulacan, linen, herbal and dairy products from Nueva Ecija, delicacies, nuts and leathercraft from Pampanga, sauces, condiments and macramé products from Tarlac, and processed fruit, bayong, bags and face masks from Zambales. Director Angeles asked the public to visit the Virtual Trade Fair and support our local MSMEs by buying their OTOP products online.
In his opening message, Senator Pimentel emphasized the need to “empower MSMEs as a collective goal, empowering them requires them new normal strategies. Continuously innovating their business system must be our new normal,” he added.
For her part, DTI Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona said that the objective of the fair is to have buyers meet, source and connect to the best of the homegrown exhibitors digitally. She added that this will boost the promotion of OTOP products and sustain MSME development, which serves as the powerful engine of the country’s economic growth.
Assistant Secretary Demphna Du Naga, OTOP national program head, said that the online platform pushes the advocacy of DTI even further. She added that – “we accomplish our OTOP goal: innovating local products, promoting growth in our economy, supporting and promoting livelihood to our MSMEs and OTOPreneurs and fostering our Filipino pride by sharing it with our country and the whole world.”
