29 graduate from DTI's BED
A total of 29 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) graduated from Department of Trade and Industry 11's (DTI 11) Branding Equity Development (BED) program yesterday.
The BED program aims to assist local entrepreneurs to create and market their own brand.
Last May 2018, DTI 11 conducted their BED program Seda Abreeza Hotel, Davao City.
The event featured business consultants who gave technical assistance in brand making to Dabawenyo entrepreneurs.
“We would like to develop local brands not only national brands which are already established long before, but we would like our MSMEs be aware that there is value in branding because we (DTI) can be their marketing tool,” DTI 11 regional director Ma. Belenda Q. Ambi said yesterday during the opening of the Mindanao Trade Expo (MTE) Christmas Bazaar at Abreeza Malls, Davao City.
The said branding development program is one of the trade department's initiatives in assisting MSMEs in the development of their respective business through branding. The program seeks to register the local brands with the Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPP), improve packaging and labelling, and launch the brands for massive promotion.
Ambi should be careful in choosing the type of product that they want to push for branding; this is to ensure sustainability. Ambi said local entrepreneurs must secure the quality of their products in order to be competitive and credible in the market.
“We hope to also bring our local brands not only in the local market but also outside Davao Region,” Ambi said, adding that probably in two to three-years' time the local products from the BED program will already be available in supermarkets.
From the 29 graduates from the program, 12 came from Davao City mostly operating as food businesses, five businesses from Davao del Norte, six from Davao del Sur, five from Compostela Valley, and only one business from Davao Oriental graduated from the program.
BED program was launched in Davao region last year with 27 graduates.