11th OTOP Store of Benguet opens in Tublay
Text and photo by: Rimaliza A. Opina
TUBLAY, Benguet – Small and micro enterprises (SME) in this province have more venues to sell their products at.
On 4 September, the Department of Trade and Industry Baguio-Benguet Field Office and the local government unit of Tublay launched the town’s first ever One Town-One Product Store.
DTI Baguio-Benguet Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME)Development Division Chief Richard Limpin said establishing OTOP stores helps address the lack of market or stores where products developed by SMEs can be sold.
Councilor Leilyn Polig, chair of the municipal council committee on trade hopes the store’s opening will entice more SMEs to bring the products they developed, to the store.
There are five SMEs currently selling products at the OTOP outlet located along Km. 21 of Halsema Highway — just a few meters past the Tublay Municipal Hall.
The store will primarily cater to travelers going to the tourist destinations in Atok, Mt. Pulag, and Sagada, Mountain Province.
Republic Act 11960, which was passed in 2023 institutionalized the OTOP Philippines program.
OTOP stores (formerly called OTOP hubs) sell products and services produced in a locality.
Products on display at the Tublay OTOP store are fruit wines, herbs and vegetables, candied fruits, coffee, cacao, fermented rice, handicrafts, and woven items.
Just beside the store is a coffeeshop called Route 21 that brews coffee beans grown in this town.
