CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is prioritizing business digitization and leveraging programs like Likhang Laguna to expand the reach of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to a wider consumer base, both locally and internationally.
Highlighting the success of Likhang Laguna, Marissa Argente, Regional Director of DTI Calabarzon, emphasized the program’s vital role in facilitating international market penetration for Filipino-made products. During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, she revealed that Likhang Laguna recently generated over P29 million in profits in the United States through on-the-spot sales, booked orders, and ongoing negotiations.
This achievement was made possible through a collaborative effort between the DTI Laguna Provincial Office, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) Silicon Valley, and the provincial government of Laguna.
“Through the Competitiveness and Innovation Group’s Tatak Pinoy Program, I had the opportunity to go abroad with the Provincial Government of Laguna. We conducted market sensing and opened an OTOP Hub in San Francisco and New York, where we brought our entrepreneurs,” Argente said.
The Likhang Laguna initiative provided entrepreneurs with a platform to showcase their products internationally, particularly to Filipino-Americans interested in importing.
“We also discovered that anything made by Filipinos is something Filipino-Americans really want to try and buy. That’s why we realized that penetrating online stores managed by Filipino entrepreneurs will be a fast and effective way of bringing our products to the US,” Argente added, underscoring the importance of digitization for international expansion.
Building on this momentum, the Laguna group, including entrepreneurs and government employees, participated in a European fashion event last year, showcasing the province’s lifestyle products. This resulted in recent visits from interested companies to negotiate with local entrepreneurs.
These initiatives exemplify DTI’s commitment to elevating opportunities for MSMEs through programs like Likhang Laguna, opening new avenues for growth and development on the global stage.
Argente also encouraged the public to support local products, dispelling the notion that they are inferior. She stressed that Filipino-made goods, with programs like Likhang Laguna leading the way, have the potential to gain global recognition, but require strong consumer support. (CO, CH/PIA-4A)