Chimes partners with local SMEs for Filipiniana section

ONE of Davao City's pioneering specialty stores has partnered with the local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as it opened its own Filipiniana section.

Chimes Specialty Store owner Cindy Yap, during the launching of the section last June, said the Filipiniana section represents the well-made and well-designed products of local entrepreneurs.

"I believe that we have to showcase the products," she said.

The products displayed at Chimes Filipiniana section range from bags and fashion accessories to house wares and other ethnic-inspired pieces.

Davao Ecocrafts, Incorporated president Mary Ann Montemayor said their partnership with Chimes is a mechanism to further promote the call for "Buy Pinoy, Wear Pinoy."

"We have to be proud to be Pinoy. And that's the challenge. We have to eliminate colonial mentality among Filipinos especially for thinking that if native at gawang-Pinoy ay baduy," she said, adding that Filipinos must not discount the fact that local products are doing well in the international trading arena.

The Davao Ecocrafts, Inc. is the partner organization of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region in the operation of the OTOP Store-Tindahang Pinoy in Davao City.

It is a "pasalubong" center that showcases Davao Region's authentic, sustainable products ranging from processed foods, gift items and stationeries, fashion accessories, furnishings and home decors, furniture, to other items typically found in a souvenir shop. It is located at Aldevinco Shopping Center along Claro M. Recto Avenue, Davao City (right in front of the Marco Polo Davao Hotel).

Meanwhile, DTI-Davao director Marizon Loreto said the opening of Chimes Specialty Store's Filipiniana section is a welcome development for the local SMEs to widen their market.

"Undeniably, you can see that the products being displayed in this section of the store are really of international standards. These are products which any Pinoy can be proud of," she said.

Loreto said that with the kind of products being showcased at the Filipiniana section of Chimes, there's no doubt that other local malls and even the Manila-based ones will be encouraged to put up their own and outsource their merchandise from the local SMEs. (PR)