San Fernando, Pampanga—About 162 manufacturers and producers sold P50 million worth of products during the four-day 20th Likha ng Central Luzon Trade Fair held at the trade hall of the Megamall in Mandaluyong.
The P50 million was the actual total sale of their products during the fair aside from the those under negotiations between the producers and the buyer that is expected to be the same amount.
Judith Angeles, regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry in Central Luzon, said this year’s sale was P10 million better than last year’s P40 million take that saw the same exhibitors from the region.
The best products sold were mostly features of the seven provinces under One Town One Product program of DTI which aims to help the enterprises mostly small and medium in marketing their products both here and in the global markets, Angeles said.
Angeles said products/goods during the fair are the famous sabutan, drift wood products of Aurora, fish and other marine products of Bataan, jewelries and bags of Bulacan, dairy and metal products Nueva Ecija, delicacies and Christmas decors of Pampanga, pottery and wine of Tarlac and mango and delicacies of Zambales.
The annual event was opened by Dempha Du- Naga, assistant secretary of DTI, Gov. Susan Yap, president Central Luzon Growth Corridor Foundation Incorporated (CLGCFI), Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Anthony Torres, president of the Philippines Export Federation of Region III.
Naga said that the holding of the annual trade fair aims to widen the market of the small and medium enterprises like institutional buyers both in the country and in the Asia Pacific.
She said the Likha trade exhibits in the past had help enterprises not only in terms of earning but also in improving the quality of their products to competitive in the global market.
“We also established OTOP hub in the country for tourists and buyers alike that they can visits anytime. The hub in Central Luzon is located at the provincial Capitol of Bulacan”, Naga added.
Gov. Yap said the foundation will continue to support the enterprises to further improve the quality products of SMEs in the region in order to reduce the poverty by employing more people in their localities.
Yap said the foundation will continue to provide policy support, facilities and coordinates the planning and monitoring of investment in the region specially those involving small and medium enterprises.
The trade exhibit is a much awaited fair in the region to give the enterprises to showcase their innovation, style, materials used and trend in the export industry.