VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in collaboration with the provincial government, opened its first One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Hub in Ilocos Sur on August 13 at the ground floor of Provincial Farmers Livelihood Development Center here.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said this initiative is an integral component of the OTOP Next Gen program that has a centralized one-top-shop concept that effectively spotlights products from Ilocos Sur’s two cities and 32 municipalities paying homage to the deeply rooted culture and heritage of the region and the local communities.
 
“This hub is strategically aimed at amplifying market outreach and fostering the advancement of local Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)… purchasing from the ONE ILOCOS SUR OTOP Hub directly empowers home-grown entrepreneurs,” he said.
 
Among the home-grown products displayed at the hub are utensils made of coconut shells, clothes and bags made of Abel Iloko (woven fabric), calamansi juice, garlic paste and sauce, cane vinegar, and the award-winning Ilocos coffee beans, which are also utilized at the ONE Ilocos Sur Cafe situated alongside the hub.
 
“Ang strong point ng Ilocos Sur ay iyong coffee. It has won 10 of the 12 awards given in the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition recently. Kapag ang isang produkto ay sumikat, dala na niya iyong iba in the locality,” Pascual said.
 

Some of the home-grown products showcased at the ONE ILOCOS SUR OTOP Hub. (pia)

The DTI chief then assured the MSMEs of the DTI’s constant assistance and support from the provincial government while encouraging them to strive towards quality and productivity.
 
“As Ilocos Sur remains to be a favorite tourist destination, we encourage our MSMEs in the province to continue producing quality products so that customers will come back, make another purchase and even promote your products to their friends and families,” he said.
 
He also encouraged the public to continue patronizing local products to help boost MSMEs in the country.
 
“Let us continue to patronize local products. Doing so helps our fellow Filipinos generate higher income and better-paying jobs. As local businesses grow, we take an active part in helping the economy not only of the province of Ilocos Sur but of the entire nation” Pascual added.
 
In his message, Governor Jeremias Singson said that this collaboration with the DTI also aims to help the 3,314 MSMEs recorded in the province who were greatly affected by Typhoon Egay.
 
“We hope that through this collaboration, we will be able to help our MSMEs bounce back from this adversity and get them back to business,” Singson said.
 
The governor added that another OTOP Hub will be established in the municipalities of Sinait and Tagudin soon. (JCR/AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)