The Department of Trade and Industry-Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG), through its One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines Program, formally inked the deal with PLDT, through its KaAsenso, bringing the 2020 Virtual Trade Expo to life.
The virtual ceremonial MOA signing happened on August 17, 2020, via Zoom, a cloud-based video conferencing service.
This activity solidified the partnership to create and run an online platform for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to have new ways of doing business, through a Virtual Trade Expo. The Virtual Trade Expo is a Livelihood Caravan for Filipino MSMEs and other entrepreneurs to be conducted through an accessible and comprehensive digital platform. Through this initiative, MSMEs are given a venue, online or otherwise, to showcase their products and services and to provide them with tools and resources that will help them improve and grow their businesses.
With the tagline “Rebuilding and Empowering MSMEs through the new normal,” the Virtual Trade Expo is accessible through virtualtradeexpoph.com.
Likewise, the partnership intends to improve and promote the existing online OTOP store application via mobile and otopstore.ph. The OTOP store online will help bring End-to-End digital solutions for MSMEs.
Overall, the signing of the MOA is a step forward into continuously innovating the business system into the new normal. This is a manifestation of the advocacies of OTOP Philippines through its OTOP Next Gen program in helping the Philippine economy and providing a sustainable livelihood for MSMEs all over the Philippines as majority of businesses gradually transition online, in response to the current pandemic.
Present during the virtual MOA signing were Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, ROG Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona, ROG Assistant Secretary and OTOP Philippines Program Manager Demphna Du Naga, ROG Assistant Secretary Asteria Caberte, ROG Assistant Secretary Domingo Tolentino, PLDT Vice President Mr. Patrick Tang, Association of Fililpino Franchisor’s Inc. (AFFI) Ms. Marie-Joyce Co Yu, PLDT Senior Manager, Ms. Linette Garcia-Perez, PLDT KaAsenso ambassadors Mr. Jorge Wieneke and his wife Ms. Jenny Wieneke, OTOP Ph Consultant, Mr. Clarke Nebrao. Also present were DTI Regional Directors and Assistant Regional Directors. The registration for the virtual trade expo began right after the MOA signing and will continue from August 17, onwards. ♦
Date of Release: 20 August 2020