Empowering communities thru creative product designs
TIMED for Mindanao's Festival of Festivals, the 32nd Kadayawan sa Dabaw, some 150 Mindanao-based exhibitors are joining the 22nd Mindanao Trade Expo (MTE), showcasing the island's produce and competitive products.
The expo opened on August 11 and runs until August 20 at the Activity Center of Abreeza Ayala Mall in Davao City.
For this year, the expo will highlight the product and brand launch promoting craftsmanship inspired by the rich culture of the Matigsalug tribe under the "Indigenous Craft Livelihood Project" of Aboitiz Power subsidiary, the Therma South, Inc., Department of Trade and Industry -(DTI)-Davao Region and the Matigsalug Council of Elders Marilog District Davao City, Inc.
"MTE 2017 showcases a modern-version of the homegrown products from communities that strengthen its sustainability, productivity and competitiveness," Rosevic Del Rosario-Cembrano, president of Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation Inc. (MTEFI) said.
She added that the products are handcrafted collections that promote culture and tradition of indigenous people in Mindanao as well as local craftsmen in different livelihood community.
This year, MTE centers on a theme: Empowering community through creative product designs.
The MTEFI, a Davao-based non-stock and non-profit business support organization, is a partner of Department of Trade and Industry.
Marketing support
DTI assistant secretary for regional operations group Ameenah Fajardo said that indigenous people products needed to be marketed to ensure sustainability of the envisioned community-based enterprise.
“After the skills training, next is product development though we already have finished products but it is done through sub-contracting with our partner exporters, meaning the exporters bought the product then they enhanced it to be export-quality,” MTEFI executive director Marian Mahinay said adding the tribe currently produces bare products that need intervention of the exporters who have the facilities and advanced skills.
Some of the partner exporters are Great Gifs and Souvenirs, Tadeco Home and MTE which have export markets in Europe, Japan, and Asia, among others.
Mahinay said that their long-term goal is to market the IP products without exporter’s intervention. “The key here is for them to continue applying their skills that it should not stop after the program but rest assured that we will always be here to assist them,” Mahinay added.