MICRO, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Negros Occidental are urged to make their products, especially those considered as one town, one product (Otop) items, responsive to demands of the market.
Leon Flores III, consultant and national program manager of Otop Next Generation Program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), told VoxPop Bacolod that the direction of promoting Otop has changed.
Flores said there is now more focus on the trend in the market which dictates what it needs.
“We need to get the pulse of the market on what kind of Otop they want. Maybe they need new designs and packaging thus, we have to listen to them," he added.
The DTI, through its Regional Operations Group, also urged local enterprises to be open to change and to be willing to listen and adjust to market situation.
They have to be market-driven, said the agency, which is further partnering with the local government units (LGUs) in the promotion of Otop.
Flores said what they are asking from local officials is to also listen to the needs of the market.
He added that cities and municipalities should not insist on what they just want. Instead, they should explore other areas where the localities are strong or with potential for specialization.
“Thus, we need to focus on three to four Otops. We are expanding it per locality because we might miss out on few potential products,” Flores said.
The DTI is now expanding the interventions among MSMEs. It is currently doing Otop development activities in different provinces, including Negros Occidental.
On Wednesday, the agency conducted the Screening, Assessment and Triage (SAT) session for 17 local MSMEs in Bacolod City.
This forms part of the series of sessions including product development, branding and marketing implemented under the Otop Next Generation Program aimed at assisting local MSMEs to level up their products.
Flores said that Negros Occidental really has good products, and the push to develop Otop in the province is strong.
He said there is a need to level up especially in terms of coming up with more improved products.
“The potential is there to be able to really gain foothold in the market,” Flores said, adding that “Negrenses just need to improve design-wise and be constantly open to new ways for innovation.”
