Butuan City – Strengthening its assistance to local businesses and producers affected by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Caraga conducted a regional trade fair and exhibit cum business matching activity in line with the 24th Caraga Business Conference, 15-19 August 2021.
With 165 participating micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and total sales of P642,509, said event was the first regional trade fair that was done simultaneously through virtual and physical markets.
A business matching kiosk, seen as a means to connect people with common business interests and establish a possible tie-up in terms of products, services and networks, also facilitated the matching of seven enterprises.
“Amidst the heavy impact of the pandemic that has evidently affected our local producers in terms of operations and sales, we have always emphasized how we see our MSMEs our economic drivers in this time of change,” said OIC Regional Director Gay A. Tidalgo.
Tildago said that aside from its livelihood seeding programs, the Department has also maximized its assistance by helping the MSMEs gain access to possible market platforms such as physical trade fairs.
“Government programs intended to assist our MSMEs only underscore how we see the power of our small enterprises in helping us stand back from these economic challenges. This trade fair is seen to provide an avenue for the sale and advertising of our local products while the business matching activity will address the problem in the lack of linkages between our MSMEs and other producers,” Tildago added.
DTI Caraga has assisted matching of MSMEs in the aquamarine, bamboo, ICT/creative and processed fruits and nuts industry clusters.
The activity was also a part of the Department’s celebration of the 2021 MSME Month with the theme, “Makabagong MSMEs, Bagong Pag-asa Laban sa Pandemya” which had a series of webinar episodes for local MSMEs, a regional virtual quiz show for senior high school students, Caraga Youth Entrepreneurs Business Awards (YEBA) business ideation and pitching competition, and virtual MSME forum.
The launching on 15 August 2021 was also attended by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Eastern Mindanao Regional Governor Julie Senense, Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Willie Gan, Butuan City Councilor Omar Andaya, and Butuan City Trade Office Chief Frederick Blancas, among other member business organizations, regional line agencies, local government units and people’s organizations.
A Provincial Agri-Trade showcasing Surigao del Norte products was also simultaneously conducted on 17-19 August, 2021 at SDN Provincial Grandstand in Surigao City.
The Caraga Business Conference is an annual business event of the PCCI Eastern Mindanao which aims to develop highly competitive, and environmentally and socially responsible industries that promote inclusive growth of the economy. It also serves as a venue for business, government, national agencies leaders, academe, local chamber members, and MSMEs to discuss issues and concerns and as a result, policy recommendations through resolutions are formulated and presented during the conference to address the said concerns.
This year’s CBC, hosted by SCCI, featured a three-day hybrid conference consisting of a virtual meeting, live streaming and face to face conference with limited participants. ♦
Date of Release: 22 September 2021