TAX-free retail chain Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) said it will put export-quality local products in the spotlight in its different outlets across the country to showcase the Filipino culture and boost the products made by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
DFPC Chief Operating Officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said they are helping MSMEs gain access to the global market.
He said one way they could link this sector is through DFP’s active participation in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) hosted by the Philippines.
The DFP is a participant of the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation Low-Cost Carrier (Capa LCC) North Asia Summit held in Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu on June 24 to 25, 2019.
During the conference, DFP will give participants a piece of the Philippine local products, which are also currently being sold at the Go Lokal! kiosk of DFP outlets.
“Events like this give us an opportunity to introduce DFP especially to local brands. This also serves as a marketing tool for MSMEs to gain access to the international market,” said Angala.
Over 300 foreign delegates composed of North Asia’s LCC chief executive officers as well as other senior executives from across the aviation value chain are joining the two-day summit that is hosted by the Philippines for the first time.
Cebu performance
DFPC has two outlets in Cebu located in the Terminals 1 and 2 of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The firm said Cebu branches contributed 11 percent to its total sales performance for 2018.
Last year, DFPC recorded a total of US$217 million worth of sales, a two percent increase from the $213 million in 2017.
DFPC said Filipino tourists and overseas Filipino workers remain as top source markets with $59.9 million worth of transactions last year followed by the Americans with $4.9 million and the Chinese with $1.5 million. (KOC)