The Cordilleras: Ready to go up the business terrace

The Cordillera region is more than just the City of Pines (Baguio) or the breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao.

It is also teeming with industries that offer innovative and ingenious products. The best products and furniture from Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Abra, Ifugao, and Mountain Province come to the South as Department of Trade and Industry-Cordillera Administrative Region (DTI-CAR) mounts “Impakabsat Regional Trade Fair” on November 22-28, at the second level Carousel Court, Festival Supermall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The Salad Bowl of the Philippines, the Cordillera Administrative Region is known for some of the country’s best crops like coffee, berries, and leafy vegetables. It is also known for lush forests. Because of this, it is also home to top-quality processed food products, as well as furniture and woodcraft. Its vibrant weaving industry was also born out of the region’s relatively cooler climate.

It is these products that Impakabsat, from the Ilokano word “kabsat” meaning brotherhood, aims to showcase. The annual trade fair has been up for the past 18 years. It was conceptualized as an avenue for businesses from the Cordilleras to showcase their products to a wider audience.

“Cordillera products, I think, are very competitive. Through Impakabsat, we’re giving our exhibitors a bigger platform for them to be seen outside the CAR,” says Fely Bandonil of DTI-CAR. “This is a very big help especially for MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises).”

DTI-CAR believes that the region’s products can go very far if given exposure and the right marketing.

“We have very good products, but one of the biggest questions for many Cordillera businesses is just how exactly would they reach out to a wider audience. This is why we organize trainings and we organize fairs such as this, so they can experience other markets firsthand,” Bandonil adds.

Bandonil shares that several businesses have flourished thanks to Impakabsat.

“Many of our exhibitors have reported that their sales have increased since joining our fair. Some have also been getting inquiries for their products from people here in Manila who saw them at Impakabsat,” she divulges.

Bandonil also states another advantage of trade shows such as Impakabsat related to the region’s employment rate.

Trade shows help in job creation. Trade shows are meant to help Cordillera businesses get more exposure, and thus, gain more customers. So when they do get more orders, they would need more people to help produce these products,” she explains.

A testament to the fair’s success is the combined sales generated from the fair. In 2011, Impakabsat’s exhibitors earned a total of over P65 million.

“It just shows that Cordillera products are really excellent that people would really patronize them. Also, it shows that trade fairs such as this really work,” adds Bandonil.

To watch out for at the fair are the furniture and woodworks from some of the Cordilleras’ finest.

“Woodwork and furniture are our bestsellers at the fair. Actually, they comprise about 90 percent percent of our sales at the fair,” she states. “Usually, at the end of the fair, the furniture is sold out.”

Bandonil further explains that woodwork from the Cordilleras is very unmistakable and can be distinguished from those of other regions.

“Cordillera carvings are very much culture-based. Since, actually, a lot of them are natives, they are inspired by the very rich culture of the region,” she adds.

Processed food products are also a hit amongst exhibit goers at Impakabsat.

“Since we are known for our crops, Cordillera food businesses come up with innovative products which are also popular in the fair,” says Bandonil.

Bandonil notes a very interesting observation amongst participants at Impakabsat: Most of the exhibitors are relatively young.

“I guess because our region is so rich in resources, younger people are more inclined to start businesses. Since they already know that they’re working with quality materials, they’re less afraid to go pursue their ideas for products,” she divulges.

This year marks the fourth year of holding Impakabsat at Festival Supermall. Bandonil describes the mall as an ideal location to showcase their products.

“The great thing about Festival is that it’s a meeting point for the entire South, which is one of our niche markets and has proven to be very receptive to Cordillera products. Aside from that, they’re also very receptive to our concept,” says Bandonil.

The best of the Cordilleras comes to the South at Festival Supermall.

Festival Supermall is a premier development in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.  It is the only mall with five anchor stores: Shopwise Supercenter, SaveMore, Robinsons Department Store, Ace Hardware and Handyman.  It has over 700 shops, a total of 2,300 multilevel parking slots, various food outlets, and indoor amusement rides.