THE Mindanao Trade Expo (MTE) will be open at the Ayala Malls Abreeza Activity Center until August 19.
In celebration of the 38th Kadayawan Festival, the MTE Foundation, Inc. organized this year’s MTE in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PhilExport), and Ayala Malls Abreeza.
Around 150 local exhibitors from Mindanao are participating in the exposition themed “Buy Local, Support MSMEs.” Products on exhibition include fresh fruit and vegetables, processed food, beauty and wellness, arts and crafts, fashion accessories and textiles, novelty items, and home décor and furniture.
The MTE will also host talks on entrepreneurship and product demonstrations for free.
MTE Foundation, Inc. President Rosevic Lucilla del Rosario-Cembrano, during the exposition’s opening program on August 13, said the Kadayawan season is an opportune time to conduct the expo as the festival serves as thanksgiving for the “gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, and the bounties of harvest” in Davao City.
The MTE, she said, will continue to “provide marketing platforms, to highlight ingenuity of local craftsmen in Mindanao, and to be a valuable ally to local governments in empowering MSMEs” powered by its “undying advocacy for support to local craftsmen and entrepreneurs” by stimulating demand for local products.
Cembrano added that supporting small businesses is crucial for the country to make a full economic recovery.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte, in a message read by Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, welcomed MTE exhibitors and vowed the local government will continue supporting micro, small and medium businesses.
“This event serves as an avenue for us to showcase the rich cultural heritage and the economic potential of not just the city of Davao but also the entire region of Mindanao,” the mayor said.
“The City Government of Davao supports the advocacy of this event as well as the promotion of what we can contribute to the growth of our economic stability,” he added. CIO