Mindanao MSMEs take centerstage in Sabah
PRODUCTS of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) based in Mindanao and Palawan will be showcased during the four-day Sabah International Expo (SIE) 2016, a premier trade fair slated on September 15-18 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
A total of 22 MSMEs already confirmed participation to the international expo which is expected to draw some 80,000 visitors globally.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will facilitate the participation of the MSMEs and will subsidize the booth rental which is pegged at some P60,000 each.
The MSMEs participation is geared towards linking Philippine products to the international markets.
“This will be the first SIE where DTI-Mindanao and Palawan will be sending in products and SMEs to Sabah,” Marilou D. Laguting, DTI-11 chief of staff said in Wednesday’s Habi at Kape at Abreeza Ayala Mall, Davao City.
The main objective of SIE is “to provide a platform for exhibitors from near and far to meet; to establish business contacts; to showcase latest products and services from the BIMP-Eaga specifically and Asean broadly. This year’s expo is centered on the theme: “Sabah - Hub for the Far East.”
For this year, DTI will be highlighting the Philippine coconut products and its by-products and fiber in the expo.
The coco sugar, virgin coconut oil (VCO) and coco water are just some coconut products which are already ready to attract international market.
She added that MSMEs from Region 9, 10, 11 and 12 will be bringing in processed food products and handicrafts which have potential international market value.
Ahmed Jeoffrey Datukan, Development Management Officer III, for his part said, a total of 22 other countries will also be joining the biennial expo.
“A lot of countries will be joining, a lot of buyers will be visiting the expo, it will be a good time in which Philippines can take advantage to promote our products as SIE is one of the most attended, visited international expo,” he said.
Laguting also said that Philippine product’s edge from other countries are its world-class quality, design and reasonable, affordable cost.
From Davao Region, the products of Ecofusion with five SMEs includ-
Crystal Seas Hand-woven and Handcrafted products, Great Gifts and Souvenirs International, Inc., Tadeco Livelihood Trading Center, Yvette’s Bags and Beads Collection, LaMar Collection, Lucilles’s Food Products, Frux Food Products and Alma Uy’s Company will be promoted in SIE.
In 2014, the Alabaster Miracle Oil has been very successful as all its products were sold during the expo and the owner has accumulated numerous orders and deals. This year, the miracle oil company is also planning to join the expo.
Other products which are in demand in this kind of expo are bags made of indigenous materials, T’nalak, and Pandan materials, among others.
“We are still inviting more MSMEs to take part in this expo,” Laguting said.
When asked if what are the challenges faced during the previous SIE participation, Datukan said that most of the SME exhibitors have initial forged agreements during the expo with the buyer but no efforts on follow ups were conducted when they went back in the Philippines.
“What we are doing now is we are developing a mechanism to address that, there should be trade monitoring report and daily discussion summary,” he said.
Laguting added that their basis for the success of the country’s participation in SIE would be if all the products brought in Sabah will be sold out.
For SMEs who will not go to the event itself but will showcase its products in the expo, every region will have one DTI Trade Promo Officer to promote their products on their behalf.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) will also be participating in the expo to promote the tourist spots both in Mindanao and Palawan.