Laoag: All 80 barangays in this city will converge at Aurora Park from Sept. 18-20 to showcase their unique products, reach new customers, and promote grassroots enterprise.
According to Philippines News Agency, in time for the tourism month celebration, the city government, in collaboration with the Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB), is strengthening support for community-based entrepreneurship through the 'One Barangay, One Product' (OBOP) initiative. This initiative encourages each barangay to develop and promote products that showcase its unique resources, skills, and local identity.
The program aims to harness the creativity and resources found in communities to create livelihood opportunities and engines of grassroots economic growth. Roque Benjamin Ablan, president of the city's LNB, emphasized that every product displayed carries a story, representing the creativity of local entrepreneurs, the handiwork of farmers and producers, the skills of artisans, and the determination of barangays to create opportunities for their people during the opening of the three-day fair.
According to Ablan, every barangay has something to offer. Through the OBOP approach, they have a platform to promote their sustainable development programs and reach wider markets. Featured products include innovative bamboo products and novelty items that highlight bamboo's potential for business and job creation, as well as handwoven baskets, hats, and other useful, fashionable handicrafts made from water hyacinth.
The exhibit also showcases moringa-based products such as malunggay powder and malunggay tea, cookie bites, cassava chips, sugarcane vinegar, bagoong, and chili garlic oil, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Government agencies supporting the initiative include the departments of trade, labor, and social welfare, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Amelia Galvez, provincial trade office director, remarked that fairs like this are helpful to local enterprises for market expansion. For many residents, entrepreneurship begins small. A home kitchen becomes a food-processing enterprise while a traditional craft becomes a marketable product. Farm produce is also transformed into processed goods that fetch higher value.
The One Barangay, One Product initiative provides a framework for communities to transition into larger enterprises. By focusing on a signature or priority product, barangays can concentrate their efforts on improving quality, packaging, branding, production, and marketing. The goal is not merely to create products but to develop enterprises that can survive and grow.
