LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Camarines Sur is showcasing the province’s finest products, flavors, craftsmanship and creativity at a four-day trade fair at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City, which runs until Sunday.
In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Friday, DTI Camarines Sur Director Jay Percival Ablan said “Feria de Camarines” is being held for the first time at a major shopping destination.
“We call it feria (festival_ because every time there is a festivity, it is a celebration. Every time there is a fair, many people are happy . . . because we are bringing different innovative products to the market,” he said.
Ablan added that consumers and buyers can discover local food products, fashion, crafts, home décor, wellness products, art pieces and more, all made by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Please come and support our local artisans. We can buy many delicious products that are truly authentic oragon,” he added, referring to the Bicolano term for tough.
The fair also features La Vida Coco, which highlights the province’s thriving coconut industry through a collection of innovative coconut-based food and beverages, personal care products, home essentials and sustainable innovations.
Out of the 200 coconut entrepreneurs joining the trade fair, 55 are MSMEs.
“We have clothing with a coconut accent, including accessories. Coconut products have expanded. It is not just copra and oil anymore. It has evolved and our local shoppers will truly appreciate it,” he said.
Fiorella Raphaelle Ouradnik, a three-year MSME exhibitor, said her cacao-based products support local raw materials and cacao farmers in Camarines Sur through the trade fair.
She said DTI Camarines Sur provides various services and assistance to local MSMEs to improve the quality and marketing of their products.
“The DTI Kapatid Mentor Me helps us become better entrepreneurs, expands our market reach and helps our business grow together with our local economy,” she said, referring to the mentorship program.
Ramoncito Tan, another exhibitor who produces edible oil, said the trade fair allows them to make their products known not only locally but also nationwide.
Ablan added that the support of consumers, shoppers, and buyers boosts MSMEs’ morale and supports the growth of local economies. (PNA)