A FIVE-DAY trade fair organized by the Department of Industry (DTI)-Eastern Visayas has generated P44.9 million in cash and booked sales recently.
“For more than three decades, Bahandi has celebrated the richness of Region 8’s culture and resources,” said DTI Regional Director Celerina Bato, while lauding the 140 local producers who joined the Bahandi Eastern Visayas Trade Fair in Metro Manila.
“It [Bahandi] connects institutional buyers with local micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) products reflect the authenticity and artistry of island living. From handcrafted accessories to heritage-inspired housewares, Bahandi has become a vibrant platform where abundance meets opportunity,” the director added.
Anthea Aivi Borbon-Ancheta, regional information officer, said among the best-selling food items during the trade fair were traditional delicacies such as chocolate moron (sticky rice cake), vinegar, coconut sap juice drinks, and various noodles, including odong, misua, and pancit canton.
Non-food products also sold high with pandan woven bags, the iconic tikog bags from Basey, and intricate shell crafts topping the list, she added.
Bahandi highlighted Eastern Visayas' most abundant resource, which is the coconut.
The Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) funded a coconut pavilion during the event, featuring the region's high-value coconut products such as coco sap, vinegar, tuba (coconut wine), coco flour, desiccated coconut, balsamic vinegar, and bukayo/bukarillo
Buyers also explored coco peat, mixed fertilizers, and planting implements made from coconut-based materials, DTI reported.
According to the agency, the combined cash and booked sales "indicate a promising growth for local entrepreneurs and their communities."
"These gains are expected to translate into sustainable production and increased employment opportunities to meet customers’ demand," it added.
Bahandi, a Binisayá term for treasures and wealth, is the DTI 8 brand for its Eastern Visayas Trade Fair since 1987. (Ronald Reyes/SunStar Philippines)