CY 2008 - DTI Gears Up for 3rd Visayas-wide OTOP Fair in Cebu, No.v 12-16

It’s three times the charm as the Visayan leg of the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines holds its 3rd annual fair at SM City Cebu Atrium this November 12 to 16, 2008.

This five-day trade fair will display a wide array of exciting homegrown products from Central Philippines dubbed "Distinctly Visayas", according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the marketing arm of the OTOP.

From souvenir items, novelty items, gift items, home decors, natural fiber, processed food, footwear to wearables, the OTOP fair aims to promote native goods from the Visayan islands.

The Visayas Region composed of Regions 6, 7 and 8 have joined hands to come-up with this fair to provide opportunities for budding entrepreneurs and develop a new culture of local pride.



It is the third time the three regions of the Visayas have come together to form a united front, a Supra-region, complementing each other through the sheer diversity of each region's products and tourist destinations that have captured more than half of the country's foreign visitors in the country.

The OTOP Visayas Island Fair is an activity that aims to highlight the OTOP program, a flagship project of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with the Local Government Units (LGUs) as the implementing arm.

The OTOP Philippines project is a government program to strengthen countryside development by promoting entrepreneurship and creating jobs.

This marketing event also aims to generate significant sales; train producers in dealing and negotiating with local and foreign buyers and exporters and develop new exporters from among the participants.

Under the OTOP, LGUs take the lead in identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service, of which their areas have specific advantage.

The chief executives of each city and municipality have the task of consolidating services needed by industries to develop as a trademark for their respective localities, the DTI explained.

OTOP-Philippines provides a comprehensive assistance package through a convergence of services from LGUs, national government agencies and the private sector. This includes business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, appropriate technologies and marketing.

The DTI said the OTOP-Philippines is designed to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME's) in the manufacturing and marketing of distinctive products and services to a much better level and achieve measurable results.

CY 2008 - Food Producers in Central Visayas take centerstage at international fair, May 15-18

Around 17 food producers in Central Visayas will showcase their products at the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines 2008 at the Mall of Asia on May 15-18, 2008.

IFEX, organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), is a culminating activity for SME participants of region 7 to the Partner Region Program (PRP) this year.

The PRP-IFEX 2008 participants are Eco Nuestra (bottled sardines, amahon), Andre Choco (chocolate products), Lola Pureza (broas), Bohol Bee Farm (honey spread, honey products, Jojies’s Bakeshop (bakery products), Tienda Boholana (oatmeal cookies), BQ Bread Basket (bakery products), Bohol Quality Pastries (peanut kisses), Candabong Ric Multipurpose Cooperative (ginger tea)

Also participating are Tessie’s Sweets and Pastries (bakery products), Chantilly (bobod kabug), Sans Rival (jam squares, sylvannas), Orient Food Industries (dried tropical fruits, Ivons Baybaye (bayebaye), Ever (peanut broas), Duran’s (banana fries) and Jainin’s Pastries (tortalita).

The PRP-IFEX is made possible with the cooperation of the Philippine Trade Training Center, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Science and Technology.

According to DTI, appropriate assistance have been given to SMEs under the PRP in the form of trainings, seminars and updates on food quality and safety, food packaging, marketing and branding.

Business matching and one-on-one buyer meetings are also conducted and arranged for the PRP proponents.

After application of relevant technical and marketing related interventions, these products are showcased in a special setting at the IFEX Philippines for market testing, DTI said.

The PRP gives focus on regional food products that have potentials in both domestic and international markets.

IFEX also features food products of other regions in the Philippines. (ends)

NERBAC-Cebu One-Stop Business Registering and Licensing

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We're aggressively promoting the services of NERBAC-Cebu. Cebu NERBAC is being made as a pilot project by the government for fast business registering and licensing.

Created through the Republic Act 7470, NERBAC is an all-in-one center that houses all concerned agencies in the government. It processes all regulatory requirements in starting a business, provides investments information, and data on investment promotion in Central Visayas.

I hope businessmen will support this government move and have their businesses registered at the NERBAC-Cebu to reduce graft and corruption.