More than 90 exhibitors from regions 6, 7, and 8 are showcasing their products, destinations, and festivals in the first-ever One Visayas Creative Expo ongoing until Jan. 28 at SM City Mall in Iloilo.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, who attended the opening ceremony Jan. 22 along with other officials of the Regional Development Council, Department of Tourism, and local government units, said that the “expo is a testament to the rich offerings of our Visayan region.”
Benitez added that as chairperson of the RDC6, he stressed the expo’s “vital role in providing broader platforms for our local products to be internationally-promoted. Padayon Visayas!”
The expo is an initiative of the RDC6 and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the region, and aims to showcase the creative industries and products of One Visayas, composed of Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, the DOT said in a press release, adding it is “a display of diverse culture, heritage, and products that the One Visayas regions are known.”
The expo also aims to provide a platform for micro, small, and medium enterprises and producers from the three regions to highlight their creative products and strengthen the public and private partnership between these regions, it added.
The opening program, hosted by the DOT6, showcased the world-class festivals of Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan Festival, Cebu’s Sinulog Festival, and the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival. ||
