Female entrepreneurs are on the spotlight in the “Gawang Pinay”, an online trade fair that aims to provide market opportunities for products made by women-owned and/or managed enterprises, or those that have predominantly women employees.
The Gawang Pinay Online Trade Fair, the first digital market for women-led enterprises in partnership with an e-commerce platform, features at least 50 women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from different regions of the country.
Products on sale include processed food and beverages, gifts and souvenirs, houseware and décor, fashion accessories, wearables, specialty/heirloom, food and health, and wellness products. The two-week event commenced on 24 August 2020 in cooperation with UnionBank GlobalLinker.
“Women in the Philippines have always been at the entrepreneurial forefront and our country is blessed with many talented and determined women entrepreneurs. This is why we are proud to showcase their products that contribute to the country’s economic development,” Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said.
Further, Lopez encouraged buyers to source their needs through this online selling platform especially now that limited mobility and social distancing is enforced in the country.
“These products have undergone transformation through the various DTI assistance.”
“These products have undergone transformation through the various DTI assistance and we are confident that these products will be patronized by our fellow Filipinos as part of the push to ‘Buy Local, Go Local’,” the trade chief added.
Aiming to transform Pinay MSMEs from brick-and-mortar marketers to effective online sellers, DTI’s Gender and Development Point Person and MSME Development Advocate Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona has also recognized the immense potential of Filipina entrepreneurs to succeed and innovate their business and to contribute to the Philippines digital economy.
“We want our Pinay MSMEs to be adept in online selling and learn to partner with various well-known organizations in the e-commerce business,” Lantayona added.
With strategic efforts focused on helping MSMEs adopt to the new normal, DTI Trade Promotions Group Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman called for collaboration to support women entrepreneurs and help them weather the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They are likely to achieve success because of their attention to detail and unique ability to multitask.”
“We must empower women with tools and skills for their businesses as more Filipino women turn into entrepreneurship and they are likely to achieve success because of their attention to detail and unique ability to multitask,” Macatoman added.
Gawang Pinay is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry – Resource Generation and Management Service (DTI-RGMS), in collaboration with the Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (DTI-BDTP), Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG), and the Knowledge Management and Information Service (DTI-KMIS).
Visit the Gawang Pinay online trade fair by clicking https://unionbank.globallinker.com/mobile/GawangPinay.