DTI, Robinsons Department Store launch first Go Lokal! store for MSME dev’t in Manila. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (4th from L) and Robinsons Department Store President and COO Robina Gokongwei-Pe (3rd from R) led the ceremonial launching of the first Go Lokal! store in Robinsons Place Manila on March 24. Go Lokal! is a retail store concept that serves as incubation, marketing, and branding platform for the best of Philippine micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) products including next generation One Town One Product (OTOP) offerings, showcasing modern and indigenous quality products crafted, designed, and created by innovative Philippine MSMEs. It can be found everyday in consumer-frequented locations as a mainstream distribution channel for world-class Filipino products while offering value for money for targeted consumers and tourists. Sec. Lopez said that aside from providing market access for MSME products, the program is a platform for new entrepreneurs to test the marketability of their products without the fear of losing rental and commercial costs because their experience is free of charge. Go Lokal! carries only globally competitive, world-class packaged products to encourage entrepreneurs to always level-up and innovate so they can be featured. After they are incubated and discovered, the program will feature the next deserving batch. Robinsons Department Store, an affiliate of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc.,is the first to launch the project in a mainstream outlet. Joining them were Robinsons Department Store General Manager Johnson Go (leftmost), DTI Director Rhodora Leaño (2nd from L), DTI Asst. Secretary Rosvi Gaetos (3rd from L), Robinsons Malls Luzon Operations Director Irvin Wu (2nd from R) and celebrity endorser Maricar Reyes-Poon (rightmost).
