CALAMBA CITY — The visit of the Department of Trade of Industry Secretary marks a deeper collaboration between the Agency and the Province of Laguna, including series of joint activities for the development of Laguna MSMEs and facilitation of ease of doing business for the consumers.

DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual had a courtesy visit to Laguna Governor Ramil L. Hernandez at the Laguna Provincial Government Extension Office in Calamba City on March 2, 2023.

During the visit, the following points converged:

1. Emphasis on the importance of physical connectivity and digital connectivity to help our constituents and boost our economic growth.
2. Digital transformation to improve economic and business performance.
3. Establishment of the proposed OTOP Hubs/Pasalubong Centers aside from creation of online market platform, provision of digital training, and display of physical product to widen market reach of our MSMEs.
4. Anilag Festival to highlight the best products (usually those that underwent through the OTOP Next Gen) of the 6 cities and 24 municipalities of Laguna.
5. Launching of Laguna Seal “Likhang Laguna” to promote the products of Laguna and to serve as a government assurance that the product is really made of Laguna and of good quality.
6. Continued partnership among government agencies including databasing of businesses from products and services down to production capacity of companies.
7. Strengthening of consumer education and advocacy programs to ensure that all business- and consumer-related laws are effectively disseminated to regulate business and protect consumers and to increase the level of awareness on consumerism through trainings/seminars/fora, Tanghalang Pangmamimili, Song Writing and Music Video Competition as well as Short Film on Consumerism

Present also in the visit were Honorable Ruth Hernandez, Congresswoman of 2nd District of Laguna; Atty. Dulce Rebanal, Provincial Administrator; Ms. Fatima Villasenor, LEDIPO Designate; Dir. Marissa Argente, OIC Regional Director of DTI – IVA; and Mr. Christian Ted Tungohan, OIC-Provincial Director of DTI – Laguna. ♦

Date of Release: 8 March 2023