DTI Bagsakan and Bahandi jointly celebrate Women’s Month in Region 8

By DTI-TPG-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion
March 15, 2022

MAKATI CITY – After the success of the recent Bagsakan: Panubli-on in Western Visayas, the DTI Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (BDTP) is expanding its reach to more provinces through a collaboration with the DTI Region 8 in the upcoming Bagsakan in Eastern Visayas to be held on March 17 to 20, 2022 at Robinsons Place Tacloban.

Billed as the Bagsakan Bahandi: Women’s Trade Fair in Eastern Visayas, the four-day selling and order-taking activity is aligned with the celebration of the National Women’s Month with the theme “Kababaihan Tungo sa Kaunlaran.” This special Bagsakan initiative will proudly showcase the wide variety of products manufactured by 65 women-led Micro, Small, and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) from Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar.

Capturing the true essence of “Bahandi,” a Cebuano word for wealth or treasures, the Bagsakan will highlight the diverse selections of food products and non-food items that represent the rich heritage and traditions unique in each Eastern Visayas province. Among these cultural treasures are the authentic Eastern Visayas delicacies such as chocolate moron, suman latik, sasema, and binangol which will be available for sale to shoppers and institutional buyers. Various handicrafts, souvenirs, handwoven products, homestyle items and decors, fashion accessories as well as health and wellness products will also be in stock for retail selling and bulk orders during the event.

A special feature of the event is the exhibit of prototypes of newly-developed products and packaging innovations under the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) Next Gen, DTI Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), and the Rural Agro-Enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID) Growth Programs.

In launching the event, DTI Regional Operations Group (ROG) Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona will lead the Opening Ceremony with DTI ROG Assistant Secretary Demphna Du-Naga, DTI-Region 8 Regional Director Celerina Bato, BDTP Director Marievic Bonoan, DTI Provincial Officers and representatives from the DTI BDTP. Consumers and institutional buyers who will not be able to attend the physical show can still participate online. A live broadcast of the activities and a video tour of the event and products will be streamed via the BDTP Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DTI.BDTP. The DTI has also prepared a digital product catalog with full contact information of participating MSMEs. Download the official event catalog in this link: https://bit.ly/bagsakanbahandi.

The Bagsakan Special Project started out as a crisis response to the pandemic to help farmers, fruit growers MSMEs and social coops sustain their livelihood during the pandemic. This innovation contributed to the “Bayanihan We Heal As One Act” by ensuring the availability of food products while helping MSMEs sell their goods, thus supporting the economy amid the COVID-19 crisis. Since 2020, the project has generated P44.28 Million for 359 farmers and fruit growers associations, MSMEs and social coops from several regions.