The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Robinsons Department Store signed on 6 February in Makati an agreement to operate a Go Lokal! store in Robinsons Place Manila starting March 2017.

In line with DTI’s objective of providing greater market access to the best products of Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the partnership solidified respective commitments of DTI and Robinsons to help communities and vulnerable sectors by allocating 10% of the net income generated by Go Lokal! stores to social causes and projects including government-led drug rehabilitation initiatives.

“This Go Lokal! partnership with Robinsons is a clear manifestation of the growing numbers of private entities that are willing to strengthen collaboration with the government in making growth truly inclusive across the country, especially for our micro entrepreneurs,” said DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez.

The trade chief also reiterated that the initiative can serve as a strategic platform for new entrepreneurs to test the marketability of their products without the fear of losing rental and commercial costs because their experience is free of charge.

Sec. Lopez together with Undersecretary for Industry Promotions Nora Terrado signed the agreement with Robinsons represented by its President and COO Robina Gokongwei-Pe.

“Aside from promoting our world-class products and MSMEs, we would also like to increase the number of employment that these partnerships can create to different localities across the region,” said DTI Undersecretary for Industry Promotion Group Nora Terrado.

Go Lokal! is a design-led concept store showcasing locally-made quality products crafted, designed and created by Philippine micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It can be found in consumer-frequented locations as a mainstream distribution channel for world-class products while offering value for money for the Filipino consumer.

Go Lokal! is a public-private priority project of the DTI serving also as incubation, marketing and branding platform for both One Town One Product (OTOP) and non-OTOP products.

Last month, community mall developer CityMall Commercial Centers Inc. also partnered with DTI to operate and manage Go Lokal! stores not only in every existing CityMall, but also in every CityMall to be opened in the future.