Maasin’s Iloilo Kawayan is outstanding OTOP MSMEs
The Iloilo Kawayan of the municipality of Maasin, Iloilo was adjudged outstanding OTOP or One Town One Product Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to the Malacanang press report, the Iloilo Kawayan was cited for its bamboo chopsticks, toothpicks, barbecue sticks and traditional bamboo products for Visayas; while for Luzon, the winners are Bagong Barrio Multi Purpose Cooperative of Pandi Bulacan for specialized garment garment which won the Luzon and national awards; Ai She Footwear of Liliw, Laguna, Region IV-A as Luzon winner; and Lao Integrated Farm of Bansalan, Davao del Sur for Region 11 for its coco sugar and coco honey as Mindanao winner.
The report also disclosed that the municipality of Numancia, Aklan was also cited as one of the Best OTOP Implementers. The winners in this category are: the city government of Balanga, Bataan (Region 3) for Luzon; the provincial government of La Union (Region 1) for Luzon; the municipality of Numancia, Aklan of Region 6, Visayas and national winner; and the municipality of Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao winner.
The 2010 Most Supportive Partner Organization winners are: the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Region 3, Luzon winner; San Pablo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Region IV-A for Luzon winner; Negros Oriental Investment Promotion Center, Region 7 for Visayas; and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Office, Mindanao winner and national winner.
The awardees will be given recognition, March 12 during the 2010 National One Town One Product (OTOP) Congress at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) in Roxas Boulevard, with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gracing the affair.
OTOP is a priority program of the Arroyo administration aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and creating jobs. Through OTOP, local chief executives of each city and municipality take the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive advantage.
The 2004-2010 Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) outlines the dual strategies of product development through OTOP-Philippines and credit provision through SME Unified Lending Opportunities for National Growth (SULONG) to support three million entrepreneurs and to generate between six million an 10 million jobs, the Malacanang press report disclosed. (PIA6/T.Villavert)
