DTI Central Mindanao business fair a big hit

GENERAL SANTOS CITY --- A four-day business fair here involving 70 micro small and medium industries (MSMEs) generated P13.5 million in sales, officials said Friday.The activity, dubbed 3rd treasures of SOCCSKSARGEN, was organized by the office of the Department of Trade in Region 12 and its branches in central Mindanao’s South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and Sarangani provinces and in the cities of Kidapawan, Cotabato, Koronadal, Tacurong and General Santos.Leonard Flores of the industry development division of DTI-12 said Friday the proceeds of the trade expo were from P1 million cash sales, P951,000 booked sales, or those ordered by buyers from product exhibitors, and P11.3 million worth of negotiated sales.The November 16 to 20, 2016 expo was held at the event center of the SM Mall in a commercial district in Gen. Santos City.The fair was launched jointly by Ibrahim Guimadel and Dorecita Delima, regional director and assistant regional director of DTI-12, respectively, and representatives from different private entities and government agencies that supported the activity.DTI sources said more than 4,000 people visited the fair, among them local entrepreneurs, hotel and restaurant owners, manufacturers of food and non-food merchandise, and merchants from across Region 12.Flores said 70 MSMEs joined the four-day business engagement, which showcased the feats of DTI-12’s product development program in the past three years.Flores said products of MSMEs from acrossSOCCSKSARGEN, which means South Cotabato-Cotabato City-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos areas, were displayed for four days at the venue of the fair.Guimadel said he is thankful to the private groups and the government entities that cooperated in organizing the activity.The four-day fair was supported by the offices in Region 12 of theBureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the natural resources, tourism, agriculture and labor departments, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Philippine Information Agency.DTI officials said they are also thankful to Rey Luciano Soliven, a Manila-based products design consultant, for helping out.No fewer than 20 new products were displayed during the four-day fair, an offshoot of the DTI-12’s product development thrusts in the past 36 months benefiting domestic entrepreneurs.Guiamadel and Delima also separately appreciated the support of the print and broadcast media outfits in Region 12 for helping disseminate the intricacies of the fair, encouraging considerable public patronage.