CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga- – With online marketing of local products, micro-small-medium enterprises (MSME) can now have a wider market and are more accessible to the consumers at the tip of their fingers, making also possible business to business links.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched Tuesday the second oneSTore hub in the Cordillera region at the KINWA Etnika here.
OneSTore.ph is an e-commerce web application that operates nationwide and caters primarily to Philippine consumers. It provides customers with an effortless shopping experience and retailers with simple and direct access to one of the largest customer bases in the country. OneSTore helps DOST- assisted MSMEs widen the scope of their target market.
With the oneSTore hub established at KINWA Etnika store, other MSMEs can access it to upload their products for online sale.
Florence Ao-wat, President of the Kalinga Indigenous Weavers Association (KINWA), said it was her long desire to connect their association to an online marketing facility. She thanked DOST’s assistance and for accommodating their association.
“We are fortunate KINWA Etnika got interested. We came here to say our wishes that this oneSTore hub prospers and be a blessing also to other MSMEs in Kalinga and the whole of CAR,” DOST-CAR Director Nancy Bantog said as she shared that they had been looking for interested hubs for the past three years.
She expressed gratitude to DOST partners on e-marketing advocacy and urged collective advocacy efforts to make this project successful.
The city and the provincial local governments committed support to this undertaking.
“As a growing city, we want investors to come through e-commerce,” Noli Tenedero representing City Mayor Darwin Estranero said assuring full LGU support as it will not only create employment but also generate income both for MSMEs and workers.
The provincial government also committed its support on e-commerce being one of the promising business fields for competition. “E-commerce will definitely increase our local MSMEs’ competitiveness,” said Elizabeth II Balais who represented Governor Ferdinand Tubban.
She expressed gratitude for MSMEs for engaging in online business, a trend now that shortcuts transactions.
Placido Alsiyang Jr. representing Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang, urged DOST to help MSMEs improve their products in order to satisfy buyers and gain worldwide patronage. However, he cautioned MSMEs producing, selling and promoting heritage products to also educate customers on the intent and proper use of traditional costumes in order not to adulterate some sacred purposes of particular products like the “Lawi” (rooster feather) which is reserved for the “Mengol” (warrior).
OneSToreHub is the only e-commerce network owned and sustained by government rendering free servicea to its clients, Christopher Musni, Project Manager, explained. This online marketing can accept orders and promote products worldwide. It ranks fourth in the oneSTore ranking and third on top keywords sharing 18.17% of the search traffic in online marketing . Up to 12,000 Filipino products are uploaded from processed foods to metals and engineering equipment. **JDP/ PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga
