Go Lokal! Souvenir Collection opens @NAIA 3 on July 19, 2018

The Go Lokal! Stores, a project of the Department of Trade and Industry, is a market access platform for our MSME partners to gain access to the domestic mainstream market and ultimately, to the global export market. It is a showcase of Philippine products crafted, designed and manufactured by the country’s MSMEs.

 

In collaboration with government agencies and retail partners such as SM Kultura Makati, Rustan’s Makati, Robinson’s Place in Malate, Glorietta 2 of Ayala Mall, CityMalls nationwide, Duty Free Philippines Fiesta Mall and Enchanted Kingdom, Go Lokal! has assisted 315 MSMEs in more than 50 stores nationwide with 10 retail partners, generating sales of over Php30M in the past 16 months. 81 of these suppliers are now in the mainstream market.

 

Go Lokal! embarks on an exciting project that supports young entrepreneurs made up of makers and artists who turn their love of arts into a money making venture. By providing them creative space, these group of young artists give us their varying interpretations of Philippine culture and their everyday lives. Souvenir items like toys, trinkets, jewelry, and novelty items that have never been seen in the market are just a few of the products in this collection created by these dynamic groups of artists:

 

Common Room

 

Common Room is a shop where crafters and artists gather to sell their handmade goods. The Common Room curates a brand new collection of Philippine Souvenirs for Go Lokal! which features the artists’ fun and modern take on what they love about the Philippines, interpreted in toys, trinkets, paper products and fashion accessories.

 

Among the pieces in the exclusive Go Lokal! souvenir collection are fishball plush toys by Pop Junk Love, embroidered travelers’ patches by Fandom Feels, Philippine landmarks tattoos by Tattooic, Manila Traffic Survivor button pins by Ella Lama, and accessories with Philippine garden flowers by Life After Breakfast.

Team Manila

 

TeamManila is a graphic design studio that seeks to represent the Philippines in the design community. Taking inspiration and paying homage to the indigenous Filipino tribes, Habi Hiraya features a combination of intricately woven patterns from the Bagobo and Tinguian tribes, and leaf motifs called Uwes. Translated in Memphis design style with a modern TeamManila twist, a play of these elements were used to create a dynamic souvenir line.

 

In collaboration with established clients, TeamManila is currently working on projects ranging from branding, graphic design, merchandise, packaging, space and web design since 2002. Founded by Joseph ‘Jowee’ Alviar and Raymund ‘Mon’ Punzalan, TeamManila has also established its retail component together with multiple subbrands such as Daily Grind and Design Dept.

The Go Lokal! Souvenir Collection will be launched on July 19, 2018 at 2:00 pm at the Kiss and Fly, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Terminal 3). The Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez will inaugurate the event as Guest of Honor. Invited guests include DTI executives, government officials, airport officials, embassy officials, retail partners and suppliers.

Go Lokal! is also available online at http://golokal.marketa.ph/ and https://www.shopinas.com/go-lokal.

For more information on Go Lokal!, you may visit or call the Go Lokal Concept Store@DTI, Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotions located at the Ground Floor, Trade and Industry Building, 361 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City at telephone nos. 751 3223 and 751 3229. Kindly look for Mabel Cortez and/or Bea Hernandez.

You may also visit the Go Lokal! website at golokal.dti.gov.ph.

Negosyo Centers conduct marketing seminar for Cebu MSMEs

Micro and small entrepreneurs from the towns of Consolacion and Carcar attended a seminar recently conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Negosyo Centers (NC). entitled  ”Marketing Your Business”.

According to NC Carcar business counselors Jessa Joyce Apas and Karen Ann Sayson, the topics discussed during the activity included the concept of marketing and how it can be applied into the MSMEs’ perspective.

DTI believes that a business doesn’t end with a product development. It is equally important to know how to penetrate the market thus the introduction of marketing seminars.

In line with Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act, the DTI Negosyo Center continues to assist MSMEs in all aspects of business, from finance, marketing, branding, labeling, among others.

Since DTI wants to cater nor just to existing MSMEs but to would be entrepreneurs as well, the department, through its Negosyo Centers, also offers How to Start a Business seminar which can be complemented by a Simple Business Plan Preparation.

A Financial Management seminar is also prepared for would be entrepreneurs in order to help them manage well their finances.

For more information on seminars and trainings conducted by DTI, interested parties can visit the nearest Negosyo Center in their area.

Negosyo Centers have been set up by the DTI to promote ease of doing business, facilitate business registration, provides business advisory services and business information, particularly in the countryside., Other support for MSMEs ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of MSMEs; and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.

Hailing MSMEs’ Achievements at Go Lokal!’s Buyers’ Day 2018

20 March 2018 – The Go Lokal!’s Buyers’ Day 2018 held on March 08, 2017 was a huge success. The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) East Wing Showroom in Makati City was overflowing with guests who came to witness the momentous event celebrating the accomplishments of Go Lokal!’s noble initiative that supports our country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME). Indeed, 2017 was a great year for MSMEs, as seen from everyone’s warm reception in the well-attended event.

From a few hundreds when it began, Go Lokal! now hosts more than 300 accredited suppliers of food and non-food merchandises. For this year’s Buyers’ Day, Go Lokal! introduced the season’s newest collection of 510 different products, which features 260 new products from new and existing suppliers.

 “The beauty of this project is that we’re making a change in the lives of these Micro SMEs. We are giving them hope, and to us, that’s the most important thing in this program,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M.  Lopez. He invited the public to continue this advocacy with limitless possibilities that promote the welfare of MSMEs, and therefore, the entire economy.

The event’s highlight was the awarding ceremony for Go Lokal!’s Top Brand Discoveries of 2017. Four MSMEs (two food product manufacturers and two non-food producers) were recognized for garnering the best sales performance. They are Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation, Inc., Green Life Coconut Products Philippines, Inc., Lipi Enterprises, and Vicky’s Pili and Food Products.

With the success of Go Lokal!’s Buyers’ Day 2018, DTI closes the gap between MSMEs and the local and international market. With the help of eager retail partners, these underserved yet worthy talents got the chance to stand in the spotlight and be exposed to gainful trade platforms. Moreover, Go Lokal! provided these MSMEs the big break they truly deserve. Without a doubt, through genuine Public-Private Partnership (PPP), everlasting progress is within reach for Filipino MSMEs.

DTI invites us all to take part in the government’s initiative by patronizing the country’s locally made goods. It’s now up to us, the buyers, to give the MSMEs the chance by supporting Philippine products – and ultimately, the country’s economy.

(From L-R) OTOP consultant Leon Flores (accepting the award for Lipi Shoes’ Joseph Lucero), TIPG Asst. Sec. Rosvi Gaetos, Gifts and Graces’ Victoria Jalandoni, Vicky’s Pili and Food Products’ Myra Zandra Gestiada, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Greenlife Coconut Products’ Ma. Frances Rubio, and BDTP Director Rhodora Leaño (extreme right).

 

 

DTI PARTNERS WITH DICT FOR FREE INTERNET, ONLINE LEARNING IN NEGOSYO CENTERS

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 15 March 2018 to provide free wi-fi and learning modules to DTI’s Negosyo Centers.

Through the agreement, DICT will provide selected DTI Negosyo Centers with free internet access, ICT equipment, and access to its Tech4ED Project.

DICT’s PipolKonek Project gives free internet access to public places such as public schools, libraries, and local government units. To date, PipolKonek has already provided internet access to 44 out of the current 805 Negosyo Centers.

Negosyo Centers will also carry DICT’s Tech4ED Project, a platform that offers digital literacy and other skills training; an eMarketplace; and a one-stop-shop for government applications, among others.

The two agencies see digital literacy as a potential catalyst for the growth of MSMEs. Tech4ED offers “ICT for Entrepreneurs”—where micro entrepreneurs are trained to create their own website and use the internet to increase their market reach.
“This convergence of the DICT and DTI will arm the entrepreneurs, especially in the regions, with the tools they need to develop and innovate on their products and conduct their business online. Connectivity and digital literacy are the future-proof ways to help those at the bottom of the pyramid,” said Secretary Lopez.

Further plans include merging existing Tech4ED Centers and Negosyo Centers since some of them are housed in the same local government units. The DICT is also open to host DTI’s educational materials in the Tech4ED platform.

“The DICT’s main objective is to facilitate connectivity. We are thus counting on our partner agencies like the DTI to provide tools and content that will benefit the public,” said Secretary Rio.

DTI 7 trains new batch of Negosyo Center Business Counselors

The Department of Trade and Industry Region 7 conducted the Small Business Counselors Course 101 (Diagnosing an Enterprise) for its 30 new negosyo center business counselors last March 5-9, 2018 at MJ Hotel and Suites, Cebu City.

The Association of Development Facilitation and Enterprise Counselors (ADFEC Inc.) facilitated the training through discussions and simulation exercises to equip participants with the basic knowledge on counselling MSMEs in their area.

In this course, the business counselors were taught the basic concepts on understanding the nature of an enterprise and how it operates in a business environment.

In pursuit of improving public service, the Department of Trade and Industry regional office 7 continues to develop the capabilities of its personnel by training them to become more efficient and effective in the delivery of their tasks.

Negosyo Centers are places where people can register business names and where the DTI can offer advice to aspiring entrepreneurs as well as help existing ones to link their products to potential markets, among others.  The centers aim to increase the number of registered businesses in a city or town where it is located

DTI awards top Go Lokal! brand discoveries for 2017

 The Department of Trade and Industry through its Go Lokal! program recognized four (4) top MSME suppliers as Top Brand Discoveries for 2017 during its Go Lokal! Buyers’ Day celebration on 8 March 2018 at the DTI Go Lokal! Showroom in Makati City.

Lipi Enterprises, Vicky’s Pili and Food Products, Green Life Coconut Philippines Inc., and Gifts and Graces Fairtrade Foundation Inc., were awarded Top Brand Discoveries for 2017 after careful screening of all established Go Lokal! MSME suppliers with the following criteria: sales performance, number of retail partners carrying the brand, social impact and professionalism.

“As you know, this initiative of the Department is really meant to elevate and upgrade the kind of Micro SMEs that we have here in the country. We want them to be discovered. We want them to be empowered. We want to give them the mainstream place that they deserve—retail malls and outlets which are our partners. It’s different when they are given the chance to succeed,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez during the awarding.

The awarded brands were among the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) registered in Go Lokal! that availed the product development provided by DTI and the free marketing platform through DTI’s retail partners.

Mr. Joseph Lucero of Lipi Enterprises, admitted that access to selling areas was their primary obstacle before being a Go Lokal! supplier. “With Go Lokal! initiative, the DTI helped in bringing us into the malls. They were the conduit between the malls and us, small businesses,” added Lucero. In 2017, Lipi sales increased to 100% after joining Go Lokal!.

Meanwhile, Gifts and Graces, a foundation that was created to connect Filipino artisans and underprivileged communities with consumers, was able to showcase their products at the Go Lokal! retail store in Robinson’s Place Manila.

For Green Life Coconut Products, their presence in various Go Lokal! store locations such as Rustan’s, Robinson’s Ermita, and in 25 City Malls nationwide contributed to their big sales in 2017 amounting to over seven hundred thousand pesos. Vicky’s Pili and Food Products was also recognized for their high-quality pili nut products which recorded a 13% increase in their total sales in 2017 through Go Lokal!

Go Lokal! is a retail concept store and an innovative marketing tool developed by the DTI to showcase quality, cool, modern and 100% Filipino products and help MSMEs in accessing mainstream market.

At present, DTI Go Lokal! has established partnerships with Enchanted Kingdom, SM, Robinsons, Ayala Malls, Rustan’s, Duty Free Philippines, Shopwise, Marketa and City Mall. These partnerships paved the way for over 30 Go Lokal! retail stores in the country.

In photo (from left to right): DTI One Town, One Product (OTOP) Consultant Leon Flores receiving the award for Lipi Shoes, DTI Trade and Investments Promotion Group Assistant Secretary Rosvi C. Gaetos, Gifts and Graces Executive Director Victoria Jalandoni, Vicky’s Pili and Food Products Managing Owner Myra Zandra Gestiada, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Greenlife Coconut Products Sales and Marketing Director Ma. Frances Rubio and Pamela Rubio, and DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion Director Rhodora Leaǹo.