Department of Trade and Industry
Photo by Mark Ches Ang
As we navigate through this COVID-19 pandemic, we have always worked on how we can balance the need to protect lives and livelihood. Building back better has been our objective, and we believe that we can sustain the growth turnaround that we have started to see if every Filipino will do his share in supporting programs that can jumpstart more economic activities to bring back more jobs.
Every Juan needs to consistently show support for local businesses by opting for locally produced goods and services. This would not only help them recover lost revenues but also promote the welfare of fellow Filipinos through more job and income opportunities they create.
DTI’s Go Lokal! national advocacy campaign has been integral to the government’s initiative to speed up national recovery. Even prior to the pandemic, DTI has already been persistent in its drive to support local producers–and this messaging has only become more urgent as the pandemic took its toll on our economy.
Just last month, DTI embarked on a new campaign to promote local products. Dubbed as #flexPHridays, people are encouraged to be consumers of locally-made products, produce, and services, and to especially post on Fridays their own gawang Pinoy story.
Social media has become an important influence in decision-making for so many consumers. The initiative makes use of the strengths of social media as an avenue for Filipinos to actively show their support.
Riding on the online behavior of consumers, DTI’s #flexPHridays invites all Filipino consumers to flex or showcase locally made products. The campaign aims to make this a Friday habit, and hopefully, even a daily habit, which would then convert every Filipino to always prefer locally-made products in every purchase they make, expressing pride in the quality of Filipino products. #flexPHridays, which also reaches out to Filipinos around the globe, hopefully, can also open up more market opportunities through the global fashion and design industries.
This innovative online campaign is jointly managed by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and the Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (BDTP), with support from the DTI’s network of agencies.