TARLAC CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Tarlac conducted a seminar focused on branding, packaging, and marketing for 11 residents of Barangay Labney, Mayantoc to help boost their handicraft products made from runo.
This activity, carried out through the Negosyo Center (NC) Mayantoc, supports the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office’s ongoing efforts to assist the residents’ transition from traditional kaingin farming to more sustainable and environment-friendly livelihoods through handicraft production using locally abundant runo.
Resource speaker Carlo Dizon, an artist-entrepreneur, emphasized the importance of branding and effective packaging in enhancing product appeal and marketability.
Meanwhile, DTI Chief Trade-Industry Development Specialist Ana Marie Tabamo discussed the value of marketing in driving business growth.
She also introduced the agency’s free services and assistance programs that participants can avail of.
Tabamo encouraged the participants to enhance the quality of their training outputs so they can compete in wider markets.
“We encourage you to improve these prototypes from your skills training so we can showcase and sell them in the different [One Town, One Product] Stores and Pasalubong Centers in Tarlac,” she added.
Participant Sonia Martin shared that the seminar helped her understand the significance of packaging and branding in attracting buyers.
“Natutunan ko kung gaano kaimportante yung packaging para mas maging mabenta yung runo. Nagkaroon rin ako ng idea tungkol sa kahalagahan ng brand na kailangan naming maipakilala yung runo sa mga customer (I learned how important packaging is to make the runo more marketable. I also got an idea about the importance of branding, that we need to introduce the runo to customers),” she said.
Furthermore, NC Mayantoc plans to provide free assistance for logo and label designs to the participants. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Tarlac)