CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has partnered with Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. (MRSGI) and various entrepreneurs and organizations to support their products through a succession of events that celebrate Filipino diversity and spirit of service amid the pandemic.
The company has devoted a selling area in two of its flagship supermarket branches—Metro Market! Market! in Taguig City and Metro Ayala Center Cebu—to feature various home- grown brands and products.
This initiative is dubbed as Bayanihang Metro x Go Lokal!
Go Lokal!, a free market access platform for Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry in collaboration with selected retail partners, continues to reach a wider market. Since its inception in 2016, the program has partnered with 20 retailers, rolled out 144 stores nationwide, and assisted 788 MSMEs, of which, 352 became regular suppliers of partner retailers. To date, the program has generated sales over P385 million.
MRSGI is among a growing number of Go Lokal! retail partners helping in the promotion of high quality local goods in the mainstream market.
Featured products include traditional delicacies from Samar such as Corioso and Roscas by Mayette’s Native Food Products; CocoPlus skimmed coconutmilk; Capa’s Seafood Cracklings, a healthier alternative to pork chicharon; and the healthy plant-based snack line of Kale Chips from Take Root.
On July 6 at 2 p.m., MRSGI will hold a virtual launch of the Bayanihang Metro X Go Lokal! with the presence of DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, along with MRSGI Chairman and CEO Frank Gaisano, and President and Chief Operating Officer Manuel Alberto.
DTI continuously strives to build strategic partnerships with different business organizations that support the present administration's advocacy on MSME development and inclusive growth. Moreover, the DTI-MRSGI Go Lokal partnership will help retailers, consumers and local communities adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and support the economy.
Alongside Bayanihang Metro X Go Lokal!, MRSGI will also launch its 3rd Virtual Metro Community Bazaar (VMCB) following the success of the first two bazaars last year. This online collective allows social enterprises and Filipino MSMEs by providing a trade experience online.
Hosted by MRSGI in its online shopping portal https://shop.themetrostores.ph/bazaar, the VMCB features products under Go Lokal! namely, Kiboa Ridge Farms, which cultivates the heirloom grain Adlai; Capa’s Seafood Cracklings; Take Root’s Kale Chips and junk-free snacks; and Seakid, producers of Crispy Dilis and Pusit.
Other sustainable livelihood products produced by philanthropic organizations such as AJ Kalinga Foundation, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region VII, Eco Hub Cebu, Gifts That Give Back, Likha Lokal, Supera Creatives, and Wow Carmen Handicrafts will also be featured.
Aside from purchases from the Metro Retail online store, patrons can extend their support to AJ Kalinga Foundation, Bahay ng Diyos Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity by donating funds to their causes.
To know more about the Go Lokal! Program, please contact Ms. Irma Merza, Go Lokal Program Manager at IrmaMerza@dti.gov.ph, 0917-301-4015 and 0925-805-0769. (DTI/PIA-NCR) 
