THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) posted on their Facebook page Sunday, December 2, appealing to Filipinos to support locally made products of micro, small, and enterprises (MSMEs) this Christmas.

"Our Christmas wish is that you fulfill your Christmas list with products from MSMEs," DTI said in its post.

It is a known fact that there are a number of Filipino products out there that will definitely be worth your money and serve as wonderful gifts this Christmas. These items can be bought at Pasalubong Centers, local shops, or online.

Going through online or visiting local bazaars one can find a range of products from clothing, accessories, beauty products, and food.

However, there are still a lot to be done for many Filipino-made products to gain the spotlight they deserve. Filipinos still have a tendency to choose imported products over locally made products.

To allow our MSMEs to continue to innovate and grow there is a need for the Filipinos to support them. This will provide them the encouragement to develop and enhance their products.

It is also by supporting and buying their products that we are able to raise awareness among others of the available locally made products that are in the market.

There are usually bazaars being held weeks before Christmas Eve and it would be a good time to drop by at these bazaars and see what our SMEs have to offer.

When we support locally made products we are also helping the economy by helping grow businesses in the city and providing employment to the locals.