Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez
MANILA – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) began on Thursday the online trade fair featuring products of persons with disability (PWD) entrepreneurs in line with the celebration of the 42nd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.
The Biz-Ability Online Trade Fair, which runs from July 30 to August 12, will introduce the products of PWD entrepreneurs at the Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion’s (BDTP) Facebook page www.facebook.com/DTI.BDTP.
Initially participating in the online trade fair are six micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owned by PWDs that produce fashion accessories, wearable items, bags, face masks, ice cream, sherbet, coco sugar, tofu, gifts, décors, housewares, blankets, and table runners, among others.
More PWD entrepreneurs are expected to join in the coming days.
“We continue to give support to our persons with disability entrepreneurs in every way we can. The online trade fair we have developed especially for them shows that we acknowledge and value the hard work and dedication they put in creating their products/services,” DTI-PWD focal person, Assistant Secretary Ameenah Fajardo, said in a statement Thursday.
Fajardo said the online platform is critical for businesses to run smoothly during the pandemic and it is now being applied to PWD entrepreneurs.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez also said the online trade fair for PWD entrepreneurs promotes inclusivity and empowerment for differently-abled Filipino business owners.
He said they could explore digital platforms in reaching out to their market, particularly in this time of the pandemic.
“With the persons with disability community by our side as we continue to promote and train MSMEs to go into the e-commerce industry, we will be able to not only adjust to the ‘new normal’ but thrive in a ‘better normal’,” Lopez said. (PNA)
