DTI BOHOL PURSUES VALUE CHAIN APPROACH IN DEVELOPING PRIORITY SECTORS: PROCESSED FOOD (PASALUBONG), RAFFIA-BASED PRODUCTS AND FASHION ACCESSORIES

The Department of Trade and Industry – Bohol in partnership with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and local stakeholders/partners organized and conducted a value chain workshop (second level) to three priority sectors in the province namely processed food (pasalubong), raffia-based products and fashion accessories sectors last May 5 and 6, 2008 at the Soledad Suites Function Room, 4th Floor of the Soledad Suites Building.

The main purpose of the value chain workshops is to help partner public and private agencies and concerned producers in the sectors assess the value chain links of their respective businesses and sectors that will be the basis in formulating the development plans of the sectors. The value chain maps that were developed during the first workshop conducted last February 2008 at the MetroCentre Hotel were given deeper analyses and treatment as to value adding, and cost and revenue efficiency along the value chain links of the industries. Findings of which will be the basis of the program interventions for the sectors.

Twenty (20) micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) attended the workshop with lead facilitators from the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Ms. Rita Pilarca, Senior Adviser GTZ and Ms. Miriam Bacalso, Regional Coordinator GTZ. The GTZ facilitators were assisted by sector facilitators from DTI Bohol, Blair Panong, Jerome Gabin, Jess Bernasor, Sungsoo Jin and Lucille Autentico.

DTI Bohol Provincial Director Nannette Arbon emphasized the importance of employing the value chain approach in the development of the three priority sectors.

Next steps will be the focused sectoral workshops for the three sectors.