THE Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) annual Ramadan Trade Fair opened on Friday, May 11, at the Office of the Regional Government compound in Cotabato City.

Norkhalila Mae Mambuay Campong, chief-of-staff of the Office of the Regional Governor, said 20 of the 75 booths are dedicated to hosting the businesses of those who are still displaced by last year’s conflict in Marawi City.

Campong said their booths will be subsidized by the Office of the Regional Governor, along with food and accommodation during their stay in Cotabato City throughout the trade fair.

“We will be giving them grants of P30,000 for capital and P10,000 for the tools they will be needing as they take their business here to Cotabato City for the Ramadhan fair,” Campong said.

The trade fair is expected to run until June 15, which is projected to be the end of Ramadan.

The fair will feature both food and non-food products, geared towards endorsing and renewing interest in the local goods available across the region.

The fair will also feature a nightly program, which includes discussions covering a wide range of Islamic topics, with different ARMM line agencies scheduled to take charge of the program every right.

The Department of Agrarian Reform-ARMM will have a booth featuring products from the region’s agrarian reform beneficiaries, while the Department of Science and Technology-ARMM booth will feature products that were produced and packaged with the help of the agency.

The Health department will also offer free medical services in one of the booths, while the Tourism department will feature tourism sites in the region through an exhibit which will be housed in another booth.