Bill to Showcase PH Products Now Only Awaits Presidential Signature to be Passed into Law

In case you missed it, Senate Bill (SB)1594 or the One Town, One Product (OTOP) bill now only awaits the signature of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to be a law.

The bill seeks to institutionalize the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program, which according to the Department of Trade and Industry, is a “priority stimulus program for Micro, Small, and Medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) as government’s customized intervention to drive inclusive local economic growth.”

Moreover, the program also gives localities a platform to develop and promote programs that are deeply rooted in a certain heritage or culture.

The OTOP program took its idea from Japan’s One Village, One Product, DTI stated on their website.

A bicameral committee, which is composed of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, placed a provision in the ratified bill for the creation of an OTOP strategic development plan and criteria for how a product may be classified as an OTOP product, which will heavily rely on its factors such as cultural emphasis, creativity, and its competitive advantage in the market.

Products that the OTOP program covers include, but are not limited to:

• agricultural-based products such as coffee, and cacao, agri-processed products like processed meats, and coconut oil;
• arts and crafts like coco coir, weaves, and bamboo;
• home and fashion or creative artisanal products like gifts, souvenir items, and furniture;
• processed food such as fruits and nuts, local delicacies, and kakanin (sticky rice cakes), among others;
• and skills-based services and other products such as hilot or traditional Filipino massage, sculpting, essential oils, and other wellness products, according to a Congress statement. (GFB)