TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, (PIA) – Members of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), who are among the most affected sectors during the pandemic, are thankful to the provincial government here for the opportunity to help them recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Provincial Director Henry Conel, Jr. of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), during the Provincial Trade Fair opening, said the inclusion of the MSMEs through the Padday na Lima in the trade fair is of big help as they start to recuperate from their losses.

“We thank Gov. Manuel Mamba for his support to MSMEs because every conduct of Aggao, there’s always an exhibit of Cagayan’s products,” he added.

On the part of DTI, he said they never stop providing technical assistance to MSMEs. “It’s not just on the product display that we extend help to our local entrepreneurs but more on product development so that their products will become competitive too, in terms of label and packaging and others,” he said.

He said of the total number of establishments in the country, 96% are MSMEs who are worst hit by the pandemic which resulted in to stop in production, retrenchment, or closure of the business.

The weeklong trade fair features the best products Cagayan can offer like cacao, coffee, furniture, bags, processed products, plants, and handicrafts made by Indigenous Peoples (IPs) baskets among others.

“All these are made from local materials available in our province and these are the One Town One Product (OTOP) of every town. (OTB/GVB/PIA Cagayan)