Regional products from SOCCSKSARGEN generated P32.5 million in cash and booked sales during the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 12’s Treasures of Region 12 Trade Expo, surpassing its P30-million target by 8.3% and connecting local enterprises with buyers across Metro Manila.
Held from Oct. 15 to 18, 2026, at Ayala Malls Market! Market! in Taguig City, the four-day event featured 70 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by DTI-12.
Mary Ann Morales, Acting Assistant Regional Director of DTI-12, said the impressive outcome highlights the strong commercial appeal of the region’s locally crafted goods.
“For this expo, we recorded both cash and booked sales. Booked sales refer to purchase orders from buyers awaiting delivery by our MSMEs. We are elated that our products were patronized by shoppers and institutional buyers in Manila,” Morales said.
Beyond the immediate revenue, the showcase aimed to help local entrepreneurs tap new markets and forge long-term commercial partnerships. Cynthia Dela Cruz, Chief of Staff of the DTI Regional Operations Group (ROG), emphasized how supporting homegrown enterprises delivers a broader community impact.
“When we support local enterprises, we do more than make a purchase. We help sustain livelihoods, create jobs and bring opportunities to Filipino families,” Dela Cruz said, reiterating her opening remarks at the event.
For participating entrepreneurs, the expo offers a vital bridge to audiences far beyond their home provinces. Lennard Ponce, president of MELTS Corporation in Polomolok, South Cotabato, started his business in 2019 with just P3,500 in capital. Now a three-time participant in the expo, he credits DTI’s intervention for helping refine his product packaging, extend shelf life and streamline business operations.
“Malaking tulong ang programang ito because it spreads our market, especially sa mga lugar na hindi pa namin naaabot, particularly dito sa Metro Manila,” Ponce said.
Similarly, Elizabeth Moneva of TSM Food Products in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, noted that DTI trade fairs enabled her natural fruit juice and concentrate business to gain traction in Luzon and the Visayas. DTI digital marketing workshops also enabled her company to establish a social media presence and expand into e-commerce platforms such as Shopee.
The expo showcased a rich cross-section of SOCCSKSARGEN’s bounty, including tuna, coffee, chocolates, processed tropical fruits, T’nalak woven fabrics, brassware and accessories crafted by T’boli and Blaan artisans.
To honor exceptional participants, DTI-12 recognized 7R Coffee Production of Sultan Kudarat and Ombeng Handicrafts of South Cotabato as Top Grossers for logging the highest combined cash and booked sales. Meanwhile, Norlind Chocolate Processing of Cotabato Province and Klowil Agricultural Enterprise Multipurpose Cooperative of South Cotabato earned Product Innovation Awards. First staged in 2014 in General Santos City, the trade fair has since expanded its reach to key commercial hubs including Metro Manila and Iloilo City. The successful run was organized with local government units in Region 12, General Santos City, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 12, the Philippine Coconut Authority Region 12, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Region 12, the DTI E-Commerce Bureau and PLDT.