MANILA — The 67th Manila FAME, touted as the country’s premiere design and lifestyle event, opened at the World Trade Center in Pasay City Thursday. The 3-day trade show reportedly aims to book USD6-million worth of exports and PHP20 million of domestic sales.
In a briefing Thursday, Center of International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Officer-in-Charge for Service Business Department Marjo Evio said that aside from foreign buyers, there is also robust domestic market for Philippine design and lifestyle products.
Evio noted that this April edition of the Manila FAME this year has a total of 269 exhibitors and is expecting up to 2,000 local and foreign buyers.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez led the event’s opening. Lopez noted that from 2012 to 2016, the biannual trade show had a total of PHP5.96 billion of exports sales, PHP589.4 million of domestic sales, and PHP183 million in retail sales.
The Manila FAME also supported close to 2,600 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Manila FAME’s mission to support MSMEs in introducing their products to the international market, promoting the Philippines as premier sourcing destination for home, design, and holiday products, among others,” said Lopez.
“This is in line with the vision of President Duterte to alleviate our MSMEs to be empowered with great ideas to make their products more sellable, not just good-looking but also marketable,” he added.
The DTI chief noted that Manila FAME does not only help MSMEs in their businesses, but also promotes Philippine fashion, holiday, architecture and interior design. (Kris Crismundo/PNA)
