Eastern Visayas trade fair in Manila eyes P23-M sales

TACLOBAN CITY, Sept. 28  -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects to generate at least PHP23 million from the upcoming Bahandi Regional Trade Fair that will showcase the best of Eastern Visayas.

A total of 234 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the region’s six provinces will take part in the trade fair that will be held at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on October 4-8.

“Our exhibitors are well-prepared since we have been conducting trainings, provide facilities to upgrade product quality, improve packaging, and develop products brands. This year’s trade fair serves as a launch of several brands of our products,” DTI 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Cynthia Nierras said in an interview Friday.

The DTI also trained participants on visual marketing so they could set up their own booths.

This year’s goal is higher than the PHP16.5 million cash sales target set last year as more products have already been improved through a series of training courses.

Among the products up for display are lechon (roasted pig), tuba (coconut wine), tahong (mussels) crackers, turmeric tea, chocolate moron (sticky rice with chocolate), calamansi concentrate, sweet potato chips, dried fish, chocolate tablets, dried squid, dried jackfruit, woven mats, coco shells, and fashion accessories.

Of the 134 producers, 46 are from Leyte, 27 from Samar, 22 from Eastern Samar, 18 from Northern Samar, 13 from Biliran, and eight from Southern Leyte.

“We have to bring them out because their chance to grow in the local market is very slim,” Nierras added.

Bahandi 2018, according to DTI, is an avenue to forge long-term partnerships with buyers in the local and global market. It aims to increase the visibility of MSMEs in the domestic, as well as global market, and build-up buyers’ confidence on their reliability, dependability and consistency as suppliers of quality goods.

DTI launched the marketing program in 1998 with its first exhibit in this city.

Bahandi, the local term for wealth, is being organized this year by the DTI, in partnership with the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation, DTI’s One Town, One Product, Regional Development Council, Department of Tourism, Canadian government, Bahandi producers, Concern, Inc., MSD Godspeed Exhibits Corp., and SM Megamall. (SQM/PNA)