Some 41 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Eastern Visayas have joined the first face-to-face annual regional trade fair held since the pandemic broke out last year.
The four-day trade fair that kicked off on Thursday, is eyeing to generate at least PHP1.5 million sales, by linking producers with institutional buyers, said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional director Celerina Bato.
Dubbed Bahandi Food and Fashion Fair, the sales event has opened at the Robinsons Place Tacloban, participated by 41 MSMEs from Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar provinces.
“Our MSMEs have been looking forward to this face-to-face trade fair since the virtual trade fair last year was not that effective due to unstable internet connection,” Bato said in an interview Friday.
The DTI will hold the Bahandi trade fair every month until December, giving all government-assisted MSMEs the chance to showcase their products inside a mall.
Holding four trade fairs will help ensure compliance with minimum public health standards, according to Bato.
“We are amazed that despite pandemic, we have new products in the region and their packaging has improved. Our challenge to producer-exhibitors is to hit or exceed the target sales of PHP1.5 million,” she added.
Bahandi, the local term for wealth, is a regular trade fair organized by the Department of Trade and Industry in malls based in the National Capital Region and Tacloban City.
The last face-to-face Bahandi trade fair was held in 2019 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
Source: Philippines News Agency