Bohol’s Sandugo expo to bring together 150 exhibitors

MORE products and exhibitors are expected to join this year’s Sandugo Trade Expo, an event organized by the Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas (DTI-7).

At least 150 exhibitors coming from 10 different regions in the country will converge at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City, Bohol for the expo dubbed as “Best of the Islands” from July 25 to 29.

“Our initial sales target was P22 million but we just decided to increase it to P25 million based on the increase in the number of exhibitors. Our (initial) target exhibitors this year was only 140,” said DTI-7 Regional Director Asteria Caberte in a press conference yesterday.

Products on display will include those identified under DTI’s One Town One Product (OTOP) Program, which supports micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) to manufacture and market distinctive products or services through the use of indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents.

“We will also highlight other emerging sectors like the coffee industry and cacao or chocolate. We will have a cafeteria at the expo where we will showcase local coffee entrepreneurs as well as chocolate and tablea,” she said.

They will also put up a display of souvenir items, wearables, furniture, furnishings, fashion accessories, processed food, gifts, and decors.

Among the fast-selling products in the past year’s expos are antique-looking furniture, food products like chicharon, peanuts, banana chips and processed food.

Caberte said majority of the exhibitors will come from Cebu while the rest will come from other parts of Central Visayas. There will also those who will come from Caraga, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Calabarzon, Northern Mindanao and the Davao Region.

MSMEs that were also part of the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprises (KMME) Program of DTI-7 will also be putting up their display of products during the expo. Among the mentees from Cebu are Hannah’s Handicraft, JJW Fashion Center, and Jestrera’s Bakeshop.

Caberte said national and international buyers, including exporters, buying agents, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, and subcontractors are expected to visit the display areas.

DTI-7, she said, is looking forward to accommodating more visitors and buyers in this year’s expo as the Tigum Bol-Anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) event, which gathers Boholanos who now live in other parts of the world, to the province during the Sandugo month, will also be happening during the same dates.

A total of 123 exhibitors joined the 2017 expo and they were able to generate P18 million in sales, according to the DTI-7. In 2016, they were able to generate P20 million in revenues.