BAGUIO CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry in Cordillera (DTI CAR) opened its “Impakabsat,” a trade fair featuring various products of the region, at the Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Freda Gawisan, DTI Benguet provincial officer, in a telephone interview on Friday evening, said the event, now on its 20th year, is a pre-Christmas sale of products produced by government-supported micro, small and medium enterprises in the region.
“It is done in November because it is a pre-Christmas sale,” Gawisan said, noting that the trade fair will end on December 2.
She said the impakabsat, an Ilocano word meaning brotherhood, is a high-level trade fair conducted by the DTI regional office that allows the public to see and buy products made in the Cordillera without having to visit any part of the region. It is annually done prior to Christmas to give Metro Manila residents an alternative choice for their Christmas presents.
She said the fair showcases selected Cordillera products coming from the six provinces and two cities of the region, such as processed food ranging from wines, jams, preserves and pastries; loom woven items sold by yard and their finished products like pouch bags, ladies and men’s bags, shaw, table runners and wall décors; handicrafts made of wood, bamboo; key chains and other items that promote Baguio and the rest of the Cordillera.
She added that exhibitors from nearby towns, whose products are not the same and not in competition with the Cordillera products sold, were also invited to the event.
She explained that the DTI regional office opted to have the event in Alabang, which is a highly populated area.
“Previously, we had it at Megamall but the sales generated in Alabang was higher, which made us do it there. This is the sixth year in Alabang,” Gawisan added.