MIMAROPA — Fueled by the goal to promote an equitable economic landscape, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) MIMAROPA region reported its 2023 strategic plans, focusing on innovation, technology, and inclusivity.
Rodolfo J. Mariposque, acting regional director of DTI MIMAROPA, laid out new strategic trade and industry policies for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) development and consumer protection. In line with the global reconfiguration of industry clusters in the Philippines, the priority industries set out by DTI MIMAROPA for 2022-2028 include cacao, bamboo, wearables, and home styles, processed fruits and nuts, rubber, salt, tuna, tourism, and creative and digital economies.
Answering the call for innovation, product development efforts for MSMEs in MIMAROPA are steered beyond design-making by directly connecting the developed products to global markets. Another pivotal innovation in line with DTI Chief Alfredo Pascual’s Sampung Utos is digitalization. As one of the regional leaders in digitalization, DTI MIMAROPA partnered with established digital payment gateways to promote safe and cashless technologies for tourism industries and local government units.
Seeing technology as a catalyst to address vulnerable environmental, economic, and social conditions, three international project grants have been awarded to different cooperatives in 2023. The grants include appropriate technology equipment and branding development from South Korea. Among the recipients are the cacao processing and uraro processing in Marinduque, and seaweed processing in Coron, Palawan.
Trade and technology in sync is also the promotion of a robust supply chain network by creating a systematic structure for multiple supply chains.
Inclusion remains a top developmental agenda for trade and industry in the region. Under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, regional projects and activities shall focus on the value chains of coconut sap, coconut fruit, and coconut husk- which are the largely processed products of coconut farmers in the region. Furthermore, pursuing inclusive growth also includes harmonized and participatory programs for gender and development, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable sectors of the workforce.
“To be effective, our 2023 strategic directions are data-driven and based on our firsthand dialogue and experiences with entrepreneurs, consumers, and other essential stakeholders in the provinces,” Regional Director Mariposque said.
Date of release: 06 February 2023
