BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recognizes women, and their invaluable contributions to nation-building especially in business and trade.

DTI Cordillera information officer Glonica Favorito shared that almost 55 percent of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) registered under DTI in the Philippines are managed, and owned by women.

"Ang mga kababaihan, magaling sa marketing. Sila ang usually nagpi-pitch ng ideas," Favorito said.

[Women are good at marketing. They are the ones who usually pitch ideas.]

Favorito said that based on the DTI 2024 data, there are around 41,000 women entrepreneurs assisted by DTI.

DTI-CAR continues to implement various programs and services to  support MSMEs in the region. 

One program is Kapatid Mentor ME, a 10-module mentorship program that optimizes hybrid interactions between the mentors and the mentees, with the key goal of boosting entrepreneurial capacity through improved access to mentorship, money, and market.

The DTI also helps in promoting and marketing the products of these MSMEs through trade fairs, market showcases, among others.

"Para ma-sustain 'yung tulong natin sa mga kababaihan na entrepreneurs dito sa Cordillera, ipinasok namin sila sa iba pang projects namin," Favorito said.

[To sustain our support to women entrepreneurs in the Cordillera, we included them in our other projects.]

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), an attached agency of the DTI, also helps women MSMEs through its "Juana Make a Mark", a trade registration incentive program that allows MSMEs to have their trademark registered at a reduced cost. 

The IPOPHL aims to instill among MSMEs the practice of filing for trademark registration before establishing a business to ensure the availability of, and secure exclusivity over the mark before the enterprise incurs expenses related to promoting its goods, or services such as packaging and marketing.

Favorito said that the Cordillera has been an awardee with the most number of applicants under the said program. 

The MSMEs also undergo product development  through the Design Center of the Philippines, an attached agency of DTI.

"Through our product development initiatives, natutulungan 'yung mga MSMEs to explore different options from packaging to product labeling,” Favorito stated.

[Through our product development initiatives, the MSMEs are working with each other to explore different options from packaging to product labeling.]

New entrepreneurs or those who are planning to put up their enterprises may visit the Negosyo Centers in their area. They may also visit the various social media platforms of DTI in the region. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)