THE PHILIPPINE archipelago is bestowed with a multitude of natural resources and indigenous skill sets. Each municipality has its own unique character and cultural mark shaped by its geography, history, and traditions that distinguish it from any other locality. Such unique and authentic identity can very well be reflected in its product and service offerings – one of a kind.
The One Town One Product (OTOP) Program empowers the local economies, especially the countryside, in light of the recent policy thrusts of decongesting the National Capital Region and providing more livelihood opportunities at the rural areas and it aims to assist the recovery of entrepreneurs following the widespread ill impact of the COVID pandemic, through sustainable use of local resources and talents.
There is a new proposed measure, Senate Bill No. 1896 otherwise known as “OTOP Philippines Act of 2020”, filed recently by Senator Bong Revilla seeking to institutionalize and further develop the OTOP Program, which has seen success over the past decade.
The Revilla bill mandates the creation of the OTOP Program Office (OTOP PO) in each LGU which shall direct, supervise, and implement the program on the local level, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations; Provided, that the LGU has the option to create a separate office for this specific purpose, or to merge the functions with those performed by any of its existing offices. We are so fortunate in Angeles City because apparently among the LGUs perhaps we have pioneered the establishment of an OTOP shop and the city government is unceasingly banging the drum for our blossoming local products while the legislative department have yet to deliberate within the bounds of the law-making process.
Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has opened the Angeles City OTOP shop more than a year ago prior the pandemic to benefit all Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), local producers, and local manufacturers and encouraged more to join after he rendered the P500 administrative fee, free of charge. The shop is managed by the Angeles City Economic Development Investment and Promotions Office (ACEDIPO).
Lazatin explained that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is authorized to establish the OTOP Philippines Trustmark (OTOP PT), an assurance that the products under the program represent the country’s best. The OTOP PT signifies that the business and products have been marked excellent in terms of quality, design, value and marketability.
Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas fleshed out that the OTOP products included in the program must meet the DTI criteria, provided they are consistent with the following elements: (a) Culture – pertain to cultural values that are rooted to heritage, living traditions, customs and rituals, recipes passed on from generations, narratives, history, and beliefs. (b) Community resource – locality’s selected product shall be based on the availability of local resources, raw materials, indigenous skills and network of resources within a community (c) Connection – selected products shall be able to evoke a sense of pride or emotional connection among the locals. (d) Creativity (e) Competitive advantage – locality’s innate or endemic strength anchored on several variables such as topography, climate, geographical location, proximity to resources, among others.
Calaguas is optimistic our national government will provide a component that shall facilitate access to financial institutions, credit provisions, loans, grants and incentives, and other sources of funding for purposes of business growth, development, innovation, among others for the welfare of MSMEs. Aside from her brainchild “Luntiang Barangay Lingap” programs, livelihood projects, health, education, senior citizens’ rights, and animal welfare, Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel has been the vigorous team captain of OTOP. She assured the city government’s business continuity plan,“Pasal-one, Angeleno pa!” campaign is focused to help local businesses revive from the impact.
She emphasized that the OTOP Program shall cover material products and skills-based services well-known in the city. This include, not limited to, the following products and services: (a) Processed food such as fruits and nuts, local delicacies, juices, wines, tea and other beverages, pastries and baked goods, preserved food sauces, cakes and desserts products, food supplements, and culinary-based specialty products; (b) Agricultural-based products such as coffee, cacao, other agricultural produce, agri-processed products like processed meats, coconut oil, preserved and processed seafood products; (c) Home and fashion/creative artisanal products such as gifts, souvenir items, furniture, ornaments, houseware, garments, fabrics and textiles; (d) Arts and crafts such as coco coir, weaves, bamboo products, paper artistry, and wood; (e) Skills-based services and other products such as “hilot” traditional Filipino massage, sculpting, essential oils and other wellness products, industrial goods, soaps and other personal care goods, and cosmetics.
The Negosyo Center located at Robinsons Starmills will be transferred to the OTOP store located along Nepomuceno Street, Barangay Sto. Rosario behind Museo Ning Angeles. It opens Monday-Sunday, 8am-5pm with phone numbers 0923-4247320 and 0997-3102202.
To date, more than 10 local MSMEs and some artists are already exhibiting world class products at the OTOP store. This program was also helpful in helping the Abdon family and Baby Sean of Barangay Pulung Cacutud who has been struggling hydrocephalus his entire life. Through the OTOP store, Manuel’s daughter Bella was able to display her artworks, and raised P28,500 for Sean’s medicines.
Bella was around four years old when she started painting, according to Manuel. Meanwhile, four renowned Angeleño designers have forged partnership with Mayor Lazatin for the launching of their “face masks selling for a cause” to benefit the Aeta Community in Sitio Target, Barangay Sapangbato.
The four designers are Marlon Tuazon, Frederick Policarpio, Jojo Macapinlac, and Rosette Ramos Biag. The face masks are arrayed in the Angeles City OTOP store’s Facebook page and Shopee account and also available at Rosette Ramos-Biag’s La Casal Shop, Nepo Mart Complex. The OTOP, whose concept comes from Japan and has been adopted by many countries around the world, has been implemented in the country since 2002.
It was strengthened by Executive Order No. 176, s.2003, through the “Isang Bayan, Isang Produkto, Isang Milyong Piso Program”. In 2019 alone, the Department of Trade and Industry reported that OTOP Philippines generated P1.41 billion worth of sales. Moreover, in the same period a total of 10,819 micro, small and medium enterprises were assisted by the OTOP program and provided 6,771 product development services.