LUCENA CITY, Quezon – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here is currently undertaking training and assistance to micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) on branding, labeling and packaging under the agency’s “One Town, One Product” (OTOP) Next Generation to make their products more competitive in both the domestic and international markets.
Pablito Budoy, DTI-Quezon division chief, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday that the agency adopted new marketability strategies to capacitate local producers and craftsmen in promoting their unique and quality products.
Under the old system, Budoy said the development of OTOP product, decided upon by the local chief executive, usually lacks commercial value.
Under the DTI’s OTOP Next Generation, the products with potential and competitive advantage to reach the international market are given focus with collaborative branding support from DTI and other government agencies.
He said that brand development is important so that the products could be sold in malls and soon scale up their name/brand to achieve exportability and marketability.
He explained that DTI-Quezon has been conducting trainings on branding, labeling and packaging for the MSMEs and other producers by tapping expert designers, who could promote Quezon’s local products to be at par with world-class standards.
He said the training involves designing for brand and logo which may appear simple yet “catchy” and contain the special features and the name of the producer/manufacturer of the product.
Aside from assisting MSMEs on product promotion and market adaptability, the DTI Quezon also trains MSMEs on using social media and putting up a website to promote their products to the international market and engage in online marketing, the platform of which is given free to them under the OTOP Next Generation Program. (Gideon Belen/PNA)
