DTI earmarks P100M for OTOP marketing

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earmarks over P100 million budget for the promotion of the One-Town One-Product program in the country, with Central Visayas as the lead implementer.

DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte, as the appointed nationwide in-charge of the OTOP marketing campaign, vowed to develop several promotional programs to strengthen potential OTOP identified industries around the Philippines.

Initially, Caberte said she is developing a group of OTOP participants who have great potential to grow in both national and international markets, this include some industries in regions 6, 7 and 8.

Caberte said there are already successful OTOP industries in Visayas, and strategies of their success will be replicated in different towns across the Philippines.

In Central Visayas, identified OTOP industry in Inabangga, Bohol is considered as one of the top examples among OTOP success stories.

Inabangga’s loom weaving using Rafia has been able to hit the export market, through partnership with export “champion” Jenifer Cruz.

This strategy, according to Caberte, links the residents in a particular town to an export “champion” who coaches the industry players and aids them in directly marketing their products to the international market.

To date, loom weavers in Inabangga, Bohol were able to increase their production because of improving demand from the international market.

“Some of them [Rafia-loom weavers] are not only doing sub-contract jobs for exporters, but they are manufacturing final products, ready for the export market,” Caberte said in an interview.

This kind of strategy will be replicated by DTI in other regions in the Philippines, among other marketing promotional events and campaigns, such as partnering with a shop in the mall to offer OTOP products.

Part of the campaign, is to tap the tourism players, specifically the tour guides to promote OTOP products to tourists.

OTOP is a priority program of the government to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs. Through OTOP, local chief executives of each city and municipality take the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service, which has a competitive advantage.

In Cebu, there are pro-active towns that made OTOP a serious project, in order to provide alternative livelihood for residents.

The town of Ronda, in the southern part of Cebu province, has continuously develop its “Humba” (pork stew), as its main product.

Ronda is moving towards introducing good packaging and marketing packages to make “Humba” be made available in export market.

In Metro Cebu, Cebu City has identified Information Technology (IT) for its OTOP promotion, Mandaue City for its export quality processed foods, Lapu-Lapu City for its guitar making, and Talisay City for its “Lechon.”

OTOP is something that captures the culture and heritage of a particular town, abundance of raw material in the place is very important, and majority of the town residents must be able to partake in the business, Caberte stressed.