Department of Trade and Industry convenes Compostela Valley exporters, forms group
rNABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley -- At least 15 exporters converged in Nabunturan late last month in a bid to update them about the present opportunities as well as the current situation of the export market.
The program office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Compostela Valley (Comval), in coordination with the Compostela Valley Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Council, conducted the Export Pathways Program (EPP) orientation.
Under the EPP, potential/existing exporters are provided with a package of assistance according to their needs.
The services given by DTI to the MSMEs include firm-level consultancy, participation to trade fairs, market and business matching, and incentives facilitation.
The exporters, who are mostly from the sectors and industries of wood, agriculture, jewelry and manufacturing, agreed to organize themselves to further strengthen the collaboration.
Rudy Ang of King Real Manufacturing was elected as president of the newly formed Compostela Valley Producers and Processors Association Cooperative while DTI-Comval was designated as secretariat.
DTI-Comval program manager Nelly L. Esperanza, who conducted the EPP orientation, said she's very grateful that their exporters have really decided to converge and form a group that will represent their sector.
"This move will really be our vehicle towards achieving greater development for Comval's export sector," she said.
Meanwhile, DTI-Comval also took the opportunity to orient the MSMEs about the drafting of the MSME Development Plan for 2011 to 2016. The present MSME Development Plan only covers the period 2004 until 2010.
Aside from King Real, among the other leading One Town One Product Program MSMEs present during the trailblazing meeting were the Cocolife Cooperative, Cooperative Handicraft Industry of Nabunturan (Chain), TSR Marketing, and Diwalwal Artisan Entrepreneurs Cooperative (Darteco).