BAGUIO CITY-- Barely four years since it was launched in 2005, the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) program has boosted and continues to fuel the economy of Benguet.
     The OTOP program turned out to be one of the greatest government programs implemented that really raised employment and investments in the province.
     During an OTOP Technical Working Group meeting held recently, Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) Baguio-Benguet Provincial Caretaker Freda Gawisan disclosed that the OTOP program has, for the first semester of 2009 alone, generated a total 11,015,780 in investments. OTOP sales amounted to a total of P12,919,962.00 with 72 new jobs generated.
     Under the OTOP program, DTI-Benguet enhanced the BSU Strawberry Fields Marketing Center by providing display cabinets for the OTOP Corner cum Pasalubong Center. Several OTOP products in CAR were also displayed for marketing assistance.
     The Office also re-oriented the officialdom of the City of Baguio regarding the OTOP Program. To this, the City LGU committed to detail the specific programs / projects / activities of their new OTOP which is the Burnham Park.
     In March, DTI-Benguet facilitated an assessment and planning workshop for all the LGU and requested the support plans from the partner-agencies. This resulted to the finalization of the LGU 2009 Action Plans and the creation of a “Provincial OTOP Technical-Working-Group” between and among agency stakeholders.
     DTI also assisted the LGU of La Trinidad in the formal launching of its “OTOP Quality Seal” and distributed it to 17 firms across eight qualified OTOP product-lines. These strawberry products include wine, schnapp, preserve, jam, spread, candy, cider-vinegar and soap.
     In April, the DTI-CITC turned-over a “Potato Chips” facility to the Bonglo 4-H Club of Atok, Benguet thru the Municipal LGU and DTI-Benguet. This is in support to the LGU endeavor to facilitate production of their POTATOK (potato chips) item.
     There were six skills trainings and one municipal planning activities conducted. These are the veggie-enriched canton noodle trainings for Atok, Buguias and Mankayan, flour-processing trainings for Bokod Sablan and Tuba and the OTOP Development Planning for the municipality of Itogon.
     DTI-Benguet also provided labeling consultancy to two strawberry firms, Mountain Top Food Products and Natural Metaphors Body Products.
     Meanwhile, on September 14, 2009, the DTI in coordination with the TWG conducted the 1st Provincial OTOP Awarding and Recognition at Al’s Restaurant, Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet. The Green Thumb 4-H Club of Atok won the most outstanding Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), with Jason’s Homemade Products of La Trinidad and Kayabang MPC l in Sablan, as second and third place winners respectively.
     La Trinidad bagged the most supportive LGU award followed by Atok, second and Kapangan, third . The Municipality of La Trinidad also won the Regional Award for the same category.
     It could be recalled that the President launched OTOP in 2005 as a priority program of her administration to promote the competitive advantages of each region of the country based on their best products and unique skills of their local workers.
     The Arroyo administration, through the DTI, is pushing OTOP projects in more towns and cities nationwide as part of the initiative to provide engines of growth for urban and rural entrepreneurs.

(PIA)