"Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo 2008"

Press Release: Region 9 brings “Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo 2008″to Manila

Here’s another reason for Zamboanga Peninsula people to be proud of as joint effort of concerned agencies, region 9 local governments, and business sector, bring “Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo 2008” to Manila!!

The Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo 2008 is a comprehensive marketing eventorganized to showcase the best and finest products of Region 9 right at the center of Metro Manila. Slated on May 23-25, 2008, the expo is going to be held at the Mega trade Hall 3rd, 5th Level, Building B of SM Megamall, the Philippines’s busiest and second largest mall.

On Display at the Expo

64 exhibitors from region 9 will participate in the Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo with product focused on gifts and housewares, processed foods and beverages, fashion accessories, fine jewelry, native handicrafts, loom-woven fabrics, home furnishings, indigenous raw materials

SM Megamall’s strategic location offers easy and convenient access to the fair site for the general public and is expected to afford the participating SMEs and institutional exhibitors the best and widest possible exposure for their products and services.

In addition to the expo, there will be a business matching component which will be of great value to the participants. This is in line with the objectives of the expo to develop the capabilities of the local SMEs in the area of sub-contracting and exporting and to help them establish networking and business linkages with clients in Metro Manila and abroad.

The expo’s greater objective though transcends beyond the mere showcasing of commodities. The whole event is hoped to project the region’s image as a reliable supplier of quality goods and services; as a viable investments area; and as an alternative tourist destination.

OTOP One-Town, One Product

Most of the products to be showcased during the expo are Zamboanga Peninsula’s OTOPs.

OTOP or One-Town, One Product is a priority program of the government to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs most especially in the countryside.

OTOP-Philippines provides a comprehensive package of assistance to qualified small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a convergence of services from the local government units, national government agencies and the private sector. These services include business counseling, training, product development, introduction of appropriate technologies, financing and marketing.

The participating SMEs to this event have all been extended assistance particularly, product development with the help of professional product designers.

Free Admission

Entrance to the fair site is free. In addition, there are exciting complimentary items that will be raffled off to lucky visitors and guests.

So, don’t forget to drop by on May 23-25, 2008. Better still, bring along your business associates, colleagues, family and friends.

What to expect: First-rate Products on Display

The buyers and the public will definitely be thrilled to find ZamPen’s newest and most innovative products on display during the fair. A few examples include handcrafted jewelry made from Zamboanga’s famed South Sea Pearls; fashion accessories crafted from beautiful corals and shells indigenous to the region; fine hand-woven Yakan cloth fashioned into bags, belts and scarves; home furnishings wrought from bamboo and lampacanai; and a whole array of imaginatively designed home decors.

Sardines Galore

For the food connoisseurs among you, a visit to the fair’s processed food section is a must. There you will find on display the widest array of canned and bottled sardines processed and produced nowhere else the country. This is understandable because Region 9 is also known as the Sardines Capital of the Philippines. There, you will see sardines in pouches, in cans and in bottles. And in various flavors and styles too, such as Spanish or Portuguese style, in tomato sauce, in corn oil, in olive oil, or in brine. For the faint hearted, we recommend sardines with Omega 3, said to be good for the heart. For the more adventurous, fiery hot, chili flavored, Spanish-style sardines are highly recommended.

Agricultural Products in Abundance

But Region 9 is not only known for its tasty sardines. We have also in abundance mango in fresh and processed forms,. Banana and cassava chips, ginger tea, calamansi concentrate and many more are likewise showcased.

Raw Materials Paradise

For those looking for raw materials, you shouldn’t miss the fair’s Raw Mats section where you will get to meet face to face with the region’s suppliers and you well have the opportunity to inspect the products as well such as dried seaweeds and food-grade carrageenan, semi-processed natural rubber in various grades, and abaca fiber

Zamboanga Scenic Spots, Investment Opportunities…

If you’re tired of going to the same tourist destinations year after year, we invite you to come and inquire for the best places to visit in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Institutional booths manned by officers from the local government units (LGUs) of the cities of Zamboanga, Isabela, Dapitan and Pagadian as well as from the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay are standing by armed with brochures and useful information, ready for your every question.

Region 9 has so much historical landmarks and beautiful natural attractions (e.g., Dakak Beach Resort, Rizal’s National Shrine in Dapitan, the centuries-old Fort Pilar in Zamboanga, etc.) that an old Zamboangueño song had been written to warn unwary travelers of the place’s enchanting spell…”No te vayas, no te vayas de Zamboanga. Que no puede, que no puede ulvidar. (Don’t you go, don’t you go to far Zamboanga. Where you may forget your darling far away…).”

But of course, we don’t want you to leave behind your loved ones. Thus, for those earnestly looking for a nice place to stay and invest, we recommend that you come and inquire at the Zamboanga Economic Zone and Free Port Authority (ZAMBOECOZONE) booth. Because it is both an economic zone and a freeport, ZAMBOECOZONE offers unmatched advantages and incentives to investors and locators. It is also now in the process of developing what may be Asia’s biggest retirement haven.

The Zambo Peninsula Regional Expo 2008 is made possible thru the cooperative efforts of City Government of Zamboanga, City Government of Dapitan, City Government of Isabela, City Government of Pagadian, Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Sur, Provincial Government of Zamboanga Sibugay, Municipal Government of Kabasalan, Congressman Rosendo Labad-Labad, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agrarian Reform, ZAMBOECOZONE and Freeport, TESDA, CITEM, PHILEXPORT Region 9 Chapter, Regional Development Council 9, SM Megamall, Megatrade Hall, Sandakan-Zamboanga Business Council, ZamPen SME Core Group. (DTI/PIA ZC)