Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Cagayan Valley generated over P15 million in direct sales, booked orders and pending negotiations during the 20th Padday na Lima Regional Trade Fair, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 2.
Held from August 24 to 30 at Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, the event featured more than 100 MSMEs from Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. Operating under the theme, “20 Years of Vibrant Hands: Crafting a Sustainable Legacy of Culture and Community,” the milestone exhibition recorded P15,142,401 in total sales and market opportunities.
To support long-term commercial growth, DTI Region 2 connected participants with institutional buyers, retail clients and business partners through business-to-business matching sessions and digital selling channels.
The agency also relaunched the Padday na Lima Webshop 2.0, providing local entrepreneurs with a permanent e-commerce platform to showcase and sell their products beyond the physical event.
DTI Region 2 Regional Director Ma. Sofia Narag noted that two decades of trade exposure have helped regional businesses adapt to changing market conditions by embracing digital tools and refining their product development based on customer feedback.
“They’ve learned their lessons for every trade fair that we do. They keep on improving,” Narag said, emphasizing that the commercial gains extend beyond individual business owners to benefit their local communities.
For many participants, the annual fair provides crucial access to major urban markets. Healthy Foods & Gifts Enterprises owner Dolores Gandia Casem of Nueva Vizcaya, shared that participating in DTI trade fairs since 2015 has allowed her herbal tea business build a strong customer base outside their home province.
Similarly, Tesoro’s Bamboo Manufacturing Products owner Joseph Tesoro, credited DTI’s ongoing support with helping his enterprise recover from zero sales during the pandemic. Today, the business manufactures and distributes handcrafted lampshades, hats, flower vases and home decor to a growing national market.
The exhibit also serves as a launching pad for community-based social enterprises. Gomez Ethnic Women’s Weaving Association president Evangeline Ayao-ao leveraged the platform to bring traditional indigenous textiles to a wider consumer audience. With DTI’s guidance, what started as a small local initiative has expanded into a structured association that employs and trains local weavers, while also integrating zero-waste practices by upcycling textile scraps into modern fashion designs.
Throughout the week-long fair, visitors engaged with Cagayan Valley’s rich heritage through interactive cultural showcases, artisan craft demonstrations, regional food and wine tastings, a live fashion show and provincial trade pavilions featuring sustainable products made from local bamboo, abaca, coconut and handwoven fabrics.
Now on its 20th year, Padday na Lima remains a vital growth engine for Northern Luzon’s local economy—helping entrepreneurs digitize operations, establish broader distribution channels, and scale their businesses while preserving the region’s traditional craftsmanship.
