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DTI scales up One Town One Product program in Region 9

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

March 29, 2018, 12:57 pm

<p>Designers from Manila discuss with MSMEs from Zamboanga City ways to further improve packaging to make their products stand out in the market. <em><strong>(Photos by DTI-9)</strong></em></p>

Designers from Manila discuss with MSMEs from Zamboanga City ways to further improve packaging to make their products stand out in the market. (Photos by DTI-9)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 9) is set to bring the “One Town, One Product (OTOP)” program to the next level this year to extend more assistance to the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.

Some 30 local MSMEs on Tuesday sat down with world-renowned designers, Fabrication Laboratory personnel, food experts from the Food Innovation Center, packaging and technology experts from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and a representative from the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the pilot run of the OTOP Next Generation Assessment, Consultation and Triage (ACT).

Dr. Sitti Amina Jain, DTI 9 Director, said in a statement e-mailed to the Philippine New Agency that the 30 MSMEs have discussed further improvement in their product packaging.

Jain said they were able to assist 610 MSMEs and developed or improved 308 products in 2017. It generated a total of PHP25 million sales from trade fairs, including that in the Zamboanga Peninsula Exposition (ZamPex).

“Thus, we are encouraging our MSMEs this year to execute properly and take advantage of our experts and designers. It is important for our MSMEs to clearly set their business direction and adapt to evolving market needs,” Jain added.

Demphna Du-Naga, DTI Assistant Secretary for Rregional Operations, encouraged the MSMEs to aspire competing with the best in the world.

“DTI is providing market access opportunities such as trade fairs, Go Lokal! and now the OTOP Philippines Hub where the best of our local products can be found. It is important that we open our minds and hearts -- innovate and modernize in terms of design, learn from our customers, and seek ways to scale up so we can meet the demands of the market,” Naga said.

OTOP Philippines is a priority stimulus program for MSMEs, as a government’s customized intervention to drive inclusive local economic growth.

The program enables localities and communities to determine, develop, support, and promote their best and culturally-rooted products or services.

“OTOP is a strategic program to build pride of place and for localities to focus on products that they can be the best at. We encourage the private sector and local government units to take their OTOP seriously, so we can build enterprises and generate more jobs,” said Leoen Flores III, OTOP national program manager.

Flores said the program was able to assist 6,519 MSMEs and develop and 4,960 products all over the country in 2017.

“We hope to do more this year,” he added. (PNA)

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