The week-long Mindanao Trade at the Abreeza Mall aimed to highlight newly- designed products produced by selected micro, small and medium enterprises with the assistance of prominent industrial designer Stanley Ruiz. Rosevic Del-Rosario- Cembrano, Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation Inc. president said with the trade fair, Mindanao products are taking the center courtesy of the DTI region XI , the Philippine exporters Confederation, Inc. and Abreeza Ayala Malls.
According to Cembrano, the NewYork-based designer Stanley Ruiz was hired to conduct a series of product development session with selected Davao City micro, small and medium enterprises.
“ The products are outputs arising from the sessions with Ruiz under the Brand Equity department Program,” said Cembrano.
Cembrano said that Stanley is a graduate from University of the Philippines – Diliman, renowned for his ‘transcultural’ designs, and for combining traditional craft techniques with contemporary design aesthetics and in fusing industrial and natural materials to produce home accessories and furniture pieces.
“ The designer stint with DTI- DCFO is part of the agency’s OTOP Next Gen Program, which aims to level the MSMEs’ products and services by coming up with new or better offerings with significant improvement and innovation in the area of quality, product development, design, marketability, brand development , among others,” she said.
She added that aside from trade fair, special settings are the prototypes as a result of the product development course conducted by renowned designer Stanley Ruiz under the supervision of DTI and DCFO.
Cembrano said that eleven MSMEs were selected to be part of the product development session with Stanley Ruiz as follows: Great Gifts and Souvenirs International, Inc., Maria Vinecraft, Inc., Yvette’s Bags and Beads Collection, Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Matgsalug Council of elders of MArilog District Davao City, Bumanlag Art Gallery, Nino Franco, ZOCOD, Emi-Alexader Englis Couture, Edgar R. Buyan Couture and Artes de San Vicente.
“ A wide array of locally-produced products and services ranging from Mindanao arts and crafts, home décor and house ware, gifts and premium items, furniture, fashion, beauty and wellness, fresh and processed food, tourist destination, among many others will be showcased in the bazaar, highlighting holiday bargain items at very reasonable price, “ she said.
