Tuesday, October 09, 2007 SMEs get venue to display, promote products in mall
SMALL scale businesses in the Visayas that lack high level of marketing will soon have a permanent venue to display their products.
This, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 will soon open the Visayas Otop (One Town, One Product) Showcase at the Natalie Accessories Shop at Ayala Center Cebu beginning Oct. 13.
DTI 7 Director Asteria Caberte said the presence of a permanent Otop showcase at Ayala Center, where retail product orders may be made and Otop enterprises matched with wholesale buyers, is seen to further boost the product sales of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Visayas.
Coverage
“It will be a good venue for them to be recognized, especially that this covers the entire Central Philippines,” said Caberte in an interview.
She said the Visayas Otop showcase will feature products of some 15 to 20 SMEs in the Visayas, like raffia bags, fashion accessories, souvenir items, capiz-based products and handicrafts made of local fibers.
Shoppers
In this regard, Caberte urged Filipinos, especially those who frequently shop at malls, to buy and promote Filipino-made products.
Otop Philippines, a priority program of the Arroyo administration, seeks to promote entrepreneurship and job creation.
Product
It encourages local government units to focus on the promotion of a single specialty product or service, and in doing so, conserve government resources.
The Otop has been creating awareness not only among the local government units as lead implementing bodies, but also among partner agencies and industry players. (MMM)
