TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 7 (PIA) -- Local officials are optimistic that the Sandugo Trade Expo this year could reestablish Bohol's products in its niche in the global products showcase.

Getting a total of P15 million in actual and booked sales could be something the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sees as a challenge especially with buyers and the international market recouping losses during the pandemic. 

Picking up the highly participated products showcase that brings to the mainstream handcrafted creative industry that was sidelined by the pandemic, the DTI brought to the Island City Mall’s Activity Center the Sandugo Trade Expo 2023.

Held July 19-23, the annual products expo brought out the best of the island and the regions in the 105 booths that displayed handcrafted wearables and jewelries, home decors, fixtures and wares, furniture, bags, baskets raffia products, handwoven items and processed food, according to DTI Trade Promotions Officer Rey Anthony Regis.

Speaking during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, Regis said the pandemic gave Boholano producers the opportunity to upgrade their products and present them anew to the reopening global market suppliers and buyers.

Now a regular venue for showcasing new local products as a result of the DTI product development seminars and training, the Sandugo Trade Expo 2023 formally reestablished whatever was broken in the producers and buyers link to resume bringing the best of Bohol products to the global fair.

Upgrading and innovating from the basic raw material flea market during the dawning years of the Sandugo rade fair, the past year’s products have seen the fusion of raw materials with fibers  and even the upcycled trash, as handicraft manufacturers adopt to the steam-rolling environmental consciousness, Regis shared.

“Now with 40 Boholano exhibitors and the return of regional exhibitors, we are readying for about 150 exhibitors bringing in their products, which can also provide local manufacturers ideas on embellishing the local products,” he added.

For the local producers, those participating in the trade expo are those whose products have market potential, the manufacturers have financial capability, shows good product quality and is a registered business with local and Bureau of Internal Revenue permit to issue sales receipts.

Food processor exhibitors must have obtained a License to Operate for their food processing business to ascertain product standards. (RAHC/PIA-7 Bohol)