By Tracy Cabrera
ALABANG, Muntinlupa — Counting the potential of the coconut industry and recent successes of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) region, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Laguna provincial director Christian Ted Tungohan underscored the need to further support coconut farmers and MSMEs to generate increased economic activities to fuel economic recovery and sustainability.
In an interview, Director Tungohan highlighted the recent gains recorded by the coconut and micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSMEs) sectors, which have helped in keeping the local economy afloat despite inflation and rising cost of commodities.
To prove his point, he mentioned Calabarzon, which generated a combined ₱17.58 million in sales during the weeklong Kalakal Calabarzon 2026 trade fair held at the Festival Mall Alabang in Muntinlupa City.
The seven-day trade fair featured 61 exhibitors, including 47 beneficiaries of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) from across the region and 14 One Town, One Product (OTOP) entrepreneurs from Laguna.
Of the total sales, ₱10.69 million came from direct cash sales while another ₱6.90 million was generated through booked orders to be fulfilled after the event.
Exhibitors from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon showcased a wide range of locally made products, including coconut-based food and beverages, health and wellness products, personal-care items, handicrafts and fashion products.
According to the DTI, the trade fair focused on the government’s efforts to move coconut farmers and local enterprises beyond raw agricultural production toward processed and value-added products, allowing them to tap broader consumer and commercial markets.
Additionally, the event also served as a market-linking platform connecting local producers with consumers, institutional buyers, distributors, and retailers.
“The ₱17.58 million in combined cash and booked sales shows what our farmers and MSMEs can achieve when they are given access to wider markets,” Tungohan opined.
“More importantly, it shows that our local enterprises have products that consumers and buyers are willing to support. Our task now is to help them build on these gains and sustain the connections they made during the trade fair,” he added to conclude.
ia/xf
