Thursday, October 16, 2008 DTI launches 1st Otop showroom By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Southern Mindanao has successfully launched the One Town One Product (Otop) showroom, not only for products produced and manufactured in Davao Region, but also products of other regions in the Philippines.
In an interview, DTI Undersecretary Merly Cruz said the showroom is a satellite of the Philippine Depot Project in Manila, and will provide an access to goods coming from the different parts of the country.
"This is the first in Mindanao. It is a good venue for the exchanging of products, skills and strengths of the different regions," Cruz said, adding that the showroom will also be a selling and an order-taking outlet.
Cruz added that the idea of having a showroom of Otop products in Davao has been thought to provide and to develop a marketing mechanism for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
"We had a virtual way of marketing, but of course, it has to be reinforced by something physical. We allow micro, small and mediun enterprises to grow and we are committed to provide them the market," Cruz said.
"With this in place, we can develop a mechanism to institute operation, we offer access to the buyers," she added.
Meanwhile, Marizon Loreto, DTI-Southern Mindanao acting regional director, said the showroom was put up in order to promote both food and non-food products of the country.
The Otop showroom was located at the second floor of the DTI-Southern Mindanao building along Monteverde Street, Davao City. The venue was the former office of the Small Business Guarantee Finance Corporation, the financing arm of the DTI, now housed in at Landco Corporate Building.
