"This year's OTOP Marketplace features contemporized products made of local materials such as water hyacinth, bamboo, burnt wood, coco guinit, twigs, tikog, and a variety of natural fibers found in the different regions of the Philippines," says Buensuceso.
The initial presence of the OTOP Marketplace at Manila FAME generated encouraging results. Ana Gotladera of Analobel Enterprises, an OTOP Marketplace exhibitor at the last edition of Manila FAME, says, "We didn't expect that we would entertain a great deal of orders and inquiries considering that our products were strictly Philippine handicrafts. Local and foreign buyers were flocking to the place and it really was a moment to behold. The bestsellers for us (Analobel Enterprises) were handwoven bags, baskets, and mats made from indigenous Philippine fibers."
The OTOP Marketplace is a joint project of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export marketing arm of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG), the Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT), the Product Development and design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) and the Regional and Provincial Offices of the DTI.