malaysiangILOILO: Best products and destinations in three Visayas regions featuring over 50 micro, small and medium enterprise exhibitors will take centerstage in the weeklong pilot episode of the One Visayas Creative Expo 2024 in Iloilo City on Jan. 22 to 28.
‘We would like to strengthen the collaboration of all the three regions of the Visayas. This aims to be the starting point, but we intend to roadshow this in all the areas of the Visayas. So Iloilo will take the initiative at this point,’ lawyer Jobert Peñaflorida, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Western Visayas governor, said in an interview on Friday.
The Creative Expo 2024 is the merging of the One Visayas initiative of the Regional Development Councils in the Visayas led by RDC-6 (Western Visayas) chair Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, RDC 7 (Central Visayas) chair Bohol Governor Eric Aumentado, and RDC-8 (Eastern Visayas) chair Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez with the support of all the chambers of PCCI Visayas and the Buy
Local, Go Lokal initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
It serves as a ‘strong follow through to the Go Lokal Kabisay-an Nakatungan (Western Visayas) Fair during the 2023 Private Sector Representatives (PSR) National Convention in Iloilo City.’
‘We expect a very strong collaboration of the public and the private sector. For the first time, One Visayas Expo will feature the best products, the best destinations, and the best festivals of Regions 6, 7 and 8,’ said Peñaflorida, who also sits as the co-chairperson of the RDC-6.
The DTI Western Visayas, in collaboration with its counterparts in Central and Eastern Visayas, will fill in the exhibit areas at the SM City Iloilo activity center with the best products.
It will also have the participation of the Department of Tourism, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The opening program will feature key festivals celebrated in honor of Señor Santo Niño, he said.
‘For the first time, this is bringing
under one roof Regions 6, 7, and 8 under One Visayas because that’s our goal to really push to get interconnected. We have a lot of opportunities and potential as a region,’ he said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
