DTI urges exporters to ‘internationalize’ products

To be able to better compete in the global arena, the Department of Trade and Industry is urging exporters to work on “internationalizing” their products, particularly the way their goods are packaged.

In a recent interview, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo related that most exporters just targeted overseas Filipino workers and did not consider the locals in the countries and territories where they were selling their products.

As a result, he said many of the country’s finished-product exports were not packaged to attract foreign buyers.

“We told them that they should internationalize their products so that they can expand their market and we can increase our exports. They should improve on the packaging to make their products more appealing to the international market,” he said.

He related that the DTI was providing assistance to businesses in the area of packaging, as part of the Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development’s MSME caravan.

The caravan aims to boost the competitiveness of MSMEs, particularly those in the rural areas. Through these lectures, the DTI will also pave the way for MSMEs to gain awareness of and easier access to various public and private services that they need in their businesses.

Apart from proper packaging, the nationwide caravan also educates participating businesses on franchising, business ethics, product design, product costing and pricing, food safety, and the entrepreneurial mindset.