With the calendar soon to flip to the -ber months, a palpable shift in the air can be sensed. What better way to kick off the festive season than with the 2023 National Trade Fair? This event, a cornerstone of the retail calendar, offers a multitude of opportunities for savvy shoppers to get ahead of the holiday rush. It’s an ideal venue to complete your Christmas shopping early, avoiding the last-minute panic and stress that often accompanies the holiday season.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (BDTP), the 2023 National Trade Fair will open its doors on Wednesday, August 23, and will run until Sunday, August 27, at the Megatrade Halls at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

With more than 250 exhibitors from the country’s 16 regions, you will find an extensive array of non-food products, such as furniture and furnishings, woodcrafts, metalcrafts and leathercrafts, home décor, houseware, apparel made of indigenous textiles, modern and traditional formal wear, fashion accessories and wearables made of eco-friendly materials, gift collections, souvenir items, holiday décor, personal care, and health and wellness products.

“The 2023 National Trade Fair is not just a shopping event; it’s a celebration of Filipino craftsmanship and ingenuity,” says BDTP Director Marievic Bonoan. “Our fair is a great opportunity for early Christmas shoppers to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones.”

One of the major attractions at the event is the Philippine Green Living and Holiday Decor Pavilion. Here, visitors can immerse themselves in festive decorations like handcrafted ornaments, all made to promote a green and sustainable lifestyle. Shoppers will find the essentials they need to turn their living space into a cozy, festive haven, setting the perfect mood for the holiday season.

Other pavilions and special settings to be showcased in the fair are: (a) Philippine Sustainability Pavilion featuring Bamboo, Coconut, Natural Fibers, and Grass; (b) Other Innovative Products Cluster; (c) The Rural Agro-enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth Project (RAPID) Special Setting; (d) KAPEtirya: Coffee Pavilion; (e) Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Project Beneficiaries Special Cluster; and (f) #FlexPHridays Photo Corner.

To expand the market reach of participating MSMEs, they will be featured in the Sisidlan: The Official NTF 2023 Digital Product Catalog, which will include the product information and contact details of the exhibitors. Buyers outside Metro Manila can follow live updates of the physical show through online streaming on the BDTP Facebook.

The 2023 National Trade Fair is organized in collaboration with the DTI Regional and Provincial Offices. To know more about the 2023 National Trade Fair and other programs of the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion, please follow their social media accounts on Facebook (DTI.BDTP), Instagram (dti.bdtp), and Twitter (@DTI_BDTP). You may also email BDTP Director Marievic M. Bonoan at bdtp@dti.gov.ph. ♦

Date of release: 22 August 2023