SURPASSING again its targets and everybody else’s expectations, the Department of Trade and Industry in Bohol’s Provincial products showcase billed as Mugnang Bol-anon overshot its already lofty goals in booked and cash sales and nailed its concrete testament of support to Boholano crafts.
The showcase of Boholano creativity in handicrafts, home decors and furnishings, toys and gifts, wearables and loom wovens as well as food products which is now held annually at the Island City Mall, recorded a total booked and cash sales of 7,611,517.67 during the closing ceremonies, according to an official of the local DTI.
The 6 day showcase attracted 62 exhibitors including 19 visual artists from the Tagbilaran City Council for Culture and Arts, was a downscaling of the regional products showcase in the pre pandemic period.
Compared to the pre pandemic, the regional products showcase had 190 regional exhibitors and grossed a little over P422 million in sales, said DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy.
With the pandemic, the annual showcase struggled in 2020, picked up as hybrid fair with pop-up sessions and exhibits of local crafts including housewares, toys and decors as well as the continued desire to innovate with the constant mentoring of the trade department experts.
This year, the three decades showcase which claims to be the country’s longest running products fair now attempted to incorporate local resources and made creativity arts as the new highlight.
From mouth-watering delicacies processed from our locally-grown and nurtured raw ingredients to fashionable wearables and souvenir items, and to furniture and crafts woven and handcrafted by our local Boholano artisans, Mugnang Bol-anon is a testament of resilience of the crafts and the Boholano will to adapt and survive, said Vierna Teresa Ligan of the local DTI.
Mugnang Bol-anon is the local DTI’s adoption of the national level direction set by the creative council, and in Bohol the inclusion of the creative industries opened up new showcases in music, visual arts, sculptures and folk arts, said former DTI Regional Director and retired Assistant Secretary Aster Caberte, who was the showcase guest speaker.
During the entire 6-day sales, DTI recorded some P 4,423,085.67 in cash and another P 3,188,432.00 in booked sales, the crafts showcase top sellers include the prototype designs introduced by DTI’s resident designers.
Earlier, the DTI released and information that, considering the situation where only local manufacturers are in the exhibit, their cash and booked sales target would be P3 million.
A few days later, they upped the target to P5 million, but at the end of the showcase term, the local authorities noted when the selling breached the P7 million mark.
As to innovations, the innovative product was the ‘Soledad bag’ by Mara and Aram Bag Lines of Inabanga, while the most promising prototype was the spine chair by Cuarteros Abstract and Fine Furniture of Jagna.
For the food exhibits, the top Seller was Bucarez Food Processing Corp for their peanut kisses, which is fast becoming a must bring home pasalubong.
The top seller for non-food items is Panglao Home Furnishings for their furniture and home-style products. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
