By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — It is high time for this city’s local industries to cash-in on growing tourism seen in this northeastern region of the country; and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) offered to show the city government just how to do it.
DTI Region 2 Director Leah Pulido Ocampo, who spoke earlier this month at the opening of this city’s 295th Patronal Fiesta Trade Fair, challenged the city government to establish a strong buy-local campaign supported by an ordinance to give local industries a boost.
Ocampo suggested an ordinance that would require all tourism establishments and government offices to patronize locally-produced food and beverages as well as manufactured furniture and decorative items.
To set the momentum, the DTI Regional Director pledged that she would be issuing an Office Order that will require the DTI Regional Office and Provincial Offices to serve locally-produced food and beverages in meetings, seminars, conferences and other office events.
She also called on the local government officials led by Mayor Jefferson Soriano to live up to the city’s brand as the Premier Ybanag City of the North by defining its unique selling proposition that will differentiate it from the rest.
“We have to be clear about what we want to be known for, which I believe the City Government and its people would be aware of, more than anyone else,” Ocampo said.
Sharing DTI’s vision of realizing a more inclusive and prosperous Philippines, Ocampo stressed that light industries like food processing, furniture and handicraft making would increase the value of commodities and by generating additional activities along the value chains, more jobs and livelihood opportunities are generated. “All these will redound to a better economy and a more stable society which could help put an end to the vicious cycle of poverty,” she added.
Ocampo also underlined the importance of aligning local strategies to the priorities and policies in the national level as both strategic and practical.
The City’s priorities on trade, industry and investment can be aligned whenever practical to the over-all national agenda as defined by the Philippine Development Plan, Philippine Export Development Plan, Investment Promotion Plan and the various Industry Roadmaps.
