MANILA, Philippines — For the past 18 years, the National Trade Fair has been showcasing the best products from each region of the country.

Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) together with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Bureau of Domestic Trade and the Regional Operations and Development Group, the annual event brings together manufacturers of the finest Philippine products made from indigenous materials and serves as a link between domestic suppliers and retailers and exporters.

This year’s trade show, with the theme “A Tour of Filipino Creativity” held from March 12 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, gathered more than 200 exhibitors, 44 of which were on the raw/semi-processed materials category and the rest on the finished product category.

“Of course, our objective is to uplift our MSMEs,” or micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises, says Socrates Apollo Botictic, CITEM supervising trade industry development specialist.

And despite the global economic crisis, Botictic sees a good turnout this year, noting the presence of many first-time exhibitors during the event.

“The financial crisis may have affected ... some exhibitors,” he says, pointing out how those who participated in the event two years ago had to back out this year due to financial difficulties.

“But there were new entrants who filled in their places and, in total, our average exhibitors increased,” he adds. “We always seem to have very good output year in and year out.”

He adds that foreign visitors and trade buyers have also participated in this year’s event, closing deals with local suppliers.

One local firm, Unicrafts Arts and Creations Corp., produces hand-painted Christmas decors made from resin, with mostly fairies and Santas as its themes.

Jack del Rosario, a managing partner of the Antipolo City-based firm, says the company produces holiday decorations all year round.

“From January to June, these are the months for export,” says Del Rosario, explaining that the remaining six months are reserved for local buyers, mostly clients from Cebu and Baguio.

Although a first timer with the National Trade Fair, Unicrafts has joined many other fairs and bazaars in the past.

Del Rosario says that the company already has tied up with an exporter, who brings their products abroad. To date, Unicrafts products have been exported to Panama, Greece, Switzerland and Sweden.

Another first time joiner to the trade fair is Crafter’s Joy Cornhusk Handicrafts.

Imelda Villaflores, a staff member of Crafter’s, hopes the event will open doors for the company, paving the way for the export of their quality handcrafted cornhusk products. This Pangasinan-based venture has been in the business for three years now.

Villaflores shares that the colorful beach bags are their bestsellers, along with cornhusk slippers, baskets and place mats.

‘Inaul’ fabric

Bai Shalimar Candao, owner of Cotabato Banggala Gifts and Home Furnishing, has a unique business, manufacturing by-products of the “inaul,” an original Maguindanao hand-woven fabric.

“Right now, we are marketing inaul products, other than the ‘malong,’” she shares.

One of their unique products is the contemporary barong with an inaul fabric accent and hand-painted designs instead of the usual embroidery. Each design is original, Candao adds.

She says there are three kinds of inaul fabric: first-class, which is made of silk and rayon; the “mestiza,” which is made of cotton and rayon; and the regular cotton. All these, she beams, are hand-woven.

“We are really proud to showcase this authentic handicraft from Cotabato,” Candao adds.

Although Cotabato Banggala has joined regional and island fairs in Mindanao, this is its first exposure in the national level.

Unlike the three exhibitors mentioned above, Norma Roz de Lara of De Lara Agsam Novelties is a National Trade Fair veteran, having joined the event for seven years now.

Based in the southern province of Surigao del Sur, De Lara Agsam Novelties makes accessories using agsam vine, a raw material found in abundance in Surigao del Sur.

De Lara shares that it is the Mamanwa tribal folk who gather the vines from the mountains. She would then buy the vines from them and fashion them into unique bracelets and necklaces.

She is also proud that she’s able to help residents of three communities earn some money by making accessories for her company.

Although exporting the product is still her big dream, De Lara is quite content with the local buyers and clienteles with whom she has established a relationship through the years. This includes SM’s Kultura stores, which she will soon start to supply with her “agsam” products.