Legazpi City -- The 12th Orgullo kan Bikol Regional Trade Fair promises to be a best selling fair this year as it once again brings to the fore the beauty and bounty of Bicolandia on October 2-5 at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. In support to the activity spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Bicol Designers Association (BIDEAS) will set-up a special setting showcasing different raw materials that had been transformed into novelty artworks.
"For the first time we are going to show to the public, especially our institutional buyers, what other natural resources Bicol has to offer thru the "Raw Materials Showcase", DTI Bicol regional director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco said.
Blanco said for this year's OK Bikol, new products and new designs will be offered for sale and order-taking. "We hope to generate sales of about 16 million pesos, surpassing last year's sales."
Around 95 new products/designs coming from 36 manufacturing firms were developed thru the product development efforts of the members of BIDEAS. "Products under the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) program will also be featured in this fair," Blanco said.
A total of 143 Bicolano entrepreneurs will be selling their wares ranging from home furnishings, giftware, holiday décor, wearables, fresh and processed food products, organic and natural products, cutlery, and furniture. Among the six provinces, Albay has the biggest number of exhibitors with 38 MSMEs, followed by Catanduanes and Sorsogon with 16 MSMEs each. Camarines Sur has 15 MSMEs while Camarines Norte and Masbate have 13 and 10 MSMEs, respectively. Committed to developing new entrepreneurs in the countryside, a total of 40 new entrepreneurs will be participants to this year's OKB fair, Blanco said. Aside from the regular MSMEs assisted by DTI, 35 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries/entrepreneurs will be joining OKB at Megamall. All these beneficiaries are assisted by DTI through the livelihood program under CARP. Each province will occupy one booth for the different products of said CARP beneficiaries. Another highlight of OKB 2008 is the launching of the OK Bikol and Chosen Pili trademarks. The OK Bikol trademark will be the official trademark of the OK Bikol Association in the succeeding OKB Fair while the Chosen Pili trademark is the quality mark used by the pili processors who joined the Hongkong Food Exposition (HOFEX) in August this year under the BIZDEV (Business Development) Program of DTI-V for food processors. Blanco said both trademarks are already in the process of being registered with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) by the OK Bikol Association. The 12th OK Bikol Fair opening program will also be highlighted by the oathtaking of the new set of officers of the OK Bikol Association under the leadership of Mr. Erwin Pereña. Blanco said that with the development, the mounting of OKB Regional Trade Fair next year can be handled by the OK Bikol Association, with the DTI just providing the needed assistance. Another special feature of OK Bikol Trade Fair is the Gayon Bikol Fiesta. It can be recalled that last year, Gayon Bikol Fiesta of the Department of Tourism (DOT) joined Orgullo kan Bikol Fair for the first time which brought in a total gross sales of 14 million pesos.
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