National Trade Fair generates PHP 128.85 million in sales

The 2026 DTI-Bagong Pilipinas National Trade Fair 2nd Edition generated PHP 128.85 million in reported sales and prospective business deals, highlighting growing demand for Filipino-made products and expanding market opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) ahead of the Christmas season.

The five-day exhibition, held Oct. 21-25 at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, attracted 4,388 visitors who explored locally produced food, beverages, wellness products, handicrafts, and home furnishings.

Beyond holiday shopping, the fair provided entrepreneurs from across the Philippines with access to institutional buyers, retail distributors, and potential business partners, helping smaller producers overcome market barriers and pursue larger commercial opportunities.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported PHP 44.50 million in direct cash and booked sales, while another PHP 84.34 million represented orders still under negotiation.

The substantial share of pending transactions suggests opportunities for additional business in the coming weeks, although these prospective orders have yet to translate into finalized sales.

For small enterprises, securing these agreements could provide a more sustained source of income beyond the five-day event, particularly for producers seeking regular distribution channels and wholesale customers.

Organized by DTI in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Coconut Authority (DA-PCA), the exhibition featured the COCONUTPhilippines initiative, supported by the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).

The program aims to strengthen market access for coconut farmers and entrepreneurs by promoting higher-value products, developing enterprises, and connecting producers with commercial buyers.

The fair offered a curated selection of Filipino products, including food and beverages, beauty and wellness items, home decor, and artisanal crafts.

Many shoppers purchased products as early Christmas gifts, Noche Buena essentials, and traditional pasalubong, giving local businesses an opportunity to benefit from seasonal consumer spending.

Coconut-based innovations occupied a prominent place in the exhibition, carrying the momentum of August’s National Coconut Week celebration into the holiday shopping season.

The COCONUTPhilippines showcase demonstrated how coconut derivatives could be developed into products across multiple categories, from food and beverages to personal care and household items.

DTI and participating enterprises highlighted the versatility of the country’s coconut resources and their potential to support product innovation, sustainable manufacturing, and additional livelihood opportunities.

For the coconut industry, moving beyond traditional raw-material sales toward processed and branded consumer products could help enterprises capture greater value and expand their customer base.

The exhibition also built on the COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair held in August, which generated PHP 309.57 million in completed sales and prospective transactions, according to an earlier Daily Guardian report.

The second edition of the National Trade Fair followed the first edition’s reported PHP 129.69 million in sales, reflecting DTI’s continuing efforts to develop markets for homegrown enterprises.

For Western Visayas, the event provided a national platform for 13 participating MSMEs from the region, including businesses showcasing locally produced food, handicrafts, and coconut-based products.

Their participation offered an opportunity to expand beyond regional markets while connecting with buyers and consumers in Metro Manila.

For entrepreneurs entering the national marketplace, the fair provided exposure, customer feedback, and opportunities to assess how their products compare with those of other businesses.

Jero Carlo Labajo of Lao Integrated Farms Inc., who traveled from Bansalan, Davao del Sur, showcased organic coconut sugar, syrups, and seasonings while gaining insights into product development and market expansion.

“I want to thank DTI for all of their support and assistance,” Labajo said.

“Being far from Metro Manila, we were able to come here and show our products to a bigger market and, at the same time, observe other MSMEs and get new ideas on how to upgrade our products.”

His experience illustrates how national trade exhibitions can help provincial enterprises reach customers who might otherwise remain inaccessible because of geographical distance and limited marketing resources.

Eileen Annersand, founder and product innovator of the Antipolo-based coconut concept store Buko Coolers, also reported encouraging consumer reactions to her coconut ice cream and coconut coffee.

“They’re very surprised because it’s unique, and when they tasted it, their eyes lightened because the essence of the coconut is really there,” Annersand noted.

The interest extended beyond retail purchases, with potential buyers exploring commercial arrangements involving her coconut coffee products.

“We are even in talks on how to fix my papers because buyers are very interested in my coconut coffee.”

For Kirsten Liamzon-Go of Akasi Essentials, the fair’s designated wellness pavilion provided a venue to connect with bulk purchasers and institutional buyers while refining her company’s business strategy.

“Aside from addressing the challenge of exposure, DTI has also helped us calibrate what we really want for the business,” Liamzon-Go explained.

She credited the agency’s Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) program with helping entrepreneurs develop the management systems and business strategies necessary for long-term growth.

“The KMME program actually helped me look deeper into the systems that are needed to run a business. They form the entrepreneurial mindset to make a sustainable business and thrive with it.”

The mentoring initiative complements DTI’s market-development activities by helping small businesses strengthen their operations, improve decision-making, and prepare for expansion.

Liamzon-Go also observed growing consumer appreciation for locally produced goods as Filipino enterprises improve product standards and compete with international brands.

“Every year, the quality recalibration of the products that we offer actually can level with worldwide qualities. DTI has helped with a lot of programs to empower Philippine entrepreneurs to really focus on developing their products more so that it’s more accessible to the market.”

The emphasis on quality and business readiness is particularly important for enterprises seeking to enter larger retail networks, where consistent production, packaging, and product standards influence purchasing decisions.

Meanwhile, Gregorio’s Arts and Handicrafts demonstrated how discarded materials and coconut components can be transformed into decorative lamps, lampshades, and other home furnishings.

Owners Gloria and Jhun Tolentino, who participated in a DTI-organized trade fair for the first time, said government training programs helped them strengthen their business operations and develop a more sustainable enterprise.

“We started attending trainings, such as business strategic planning, business continuity and resilience. These training programs have widened our minds into how we can make our business more sustainable,” Tolentino noted.

The company is now considering opportunities beyond the domestic market as its owners explore the export potential of their handcrafted products.

“We know that our products are unique and we are now exploring the possibility of exporting these.”

The enterprise’s use of repurposed materials also demonstrates how waste reduction can be incorporated into product design while creating commercial opportunities for Filipino artisans.

Across the exhibition, entrepreneurs emphasized the coconut’s potential to support livelihood diversification, product innovation, and environmentally sustainable businesses.

For Annersand, the coconut represents both a valuable agricultural resource and an opportunity to establish a distinct identity for Filipino-made consumer products.

“It’s really an iconic tropical fruit and I really want to put it in highlight,” Annersand emphasized.

She said maximizing the coconut’s different components could support economic activity while promoting more sustainable production and consumption.

“It’s abundant in our country so I want in my own little way to contribute to the economy of the Philippines, harnessing the power of coconut. That’s why it’s called the tree of life—there’s no waste in all of its products, and that’s really a sustainable way of living.”

The coconut industry’s development is also a public welfare concern because expanding markets for processed coconut products could create additional income opportunities for farmers, processors, cooperatives, and small manufacturers.

Republic Act No. 11524, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, provides the legal foundation for the CFIDP, which includes initiatives intended to strengthen coconut farmers’ livelihoods and the competitiveness of the industry.

Under this framework, trade exhibitions serve as market-development platforms that can connect coconut enterprises with buyers while supporting efforts to diversify products and expand commercial opportunities.

The National Trade Fair’s ceremonial opening on Oct. 22 featured a ribbon-cutting and Christmas tree-lighting activity led by DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque.

Roque encouraged participating MSMEs to pursue export opportunities while taking advantage of domestic demand during the holiday shopping season.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors also attended business learning sessions, watched live craft demonstrations, and enjoyed cultural performances showcasing Filipino creativity and entrepreneurship.

These activities complemented the commercial exhibition by promoting traditional skills, introducing product innovations, and facilitating interaction between producers and potential customers.

For participating enterprises, the fair also provided an opportunity to evaluate consumer preferences ahead of the National Exporters Fair scheduled for November.

Exhibitors gathered feedback on pricing, packaging, and product positioning, which could help them refine their offerings for institutional buyers and international markets.

Such preparation is important because entering export markets requires enterprises to meet buyer expectations not only on product quality but also on consistency, presentation, and supply capacity.

DTI thanked its partner agencies, participating MSMEs, and the thousands of shoppers who supported Filipino-made products during the exhibition.

The fair’s results highlight the potential of connecting government enterprise-development programs with consumer markets, although the eventual economic impact will depend partly on how many pending orders become completed transactions.

For Filipino entrepreneurs, particularly those operating outside major commercial centers, the bigger opportunity lies in converting temporary exhibition exposure into sustained business relationships, wider market access, and more dependable livelihood opportunities. (DTI)