MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership with leading retail group Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI), announces the online leg of the Philippine Harvest trade fair starting April 22, 2020. The Philippine Harvest online leg will help promote local food products from MSMEs and small farmers, and make them more accessible to Filipino consumers despite the circumstances brought about by COVID-19.
The Philippine Harvest Facebook page at facebook.com/PhilippineHarvest will feature products from 27 local food producers. Consumers may order directly from the respective social media accounts of participating merchants, and products will be sent to consumers via available delivery services such as GrabExpress and Lalamove, while practicing social distancing.
The participation of featured merchants is free of charge, and intends to soften the economic impact of COVID-19 on local food and farm producers whose operations were affected by the pandemic. It is also a way of promoting local cuisine and ingredients amidst the quarantine period.
“With our efforts in taking the Philippine Harvest online, we are showing that COVID-19 will not stop our mission of making locally-sourced food sustainable and available to Filipinos”, said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. “Not only can Filipinos continue to enjoy the best of local food products, but our hardworking farmers of our farm tourism sites and MSMEs can still receive the support they need”.
DOT’s Philippine Harvest Trade Fair was established in 2018 in partnership with SSI Group and Central Square Mall in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig to champion the richness of Philippine agriculture, through local, organic, artisanal, and indigenous food products from each of the Philippines’ regions. The endeavor also aims to link the farms and the private sector to new markets.
Interested buyers may get more information on how to support local farmers and producers by visiting the official Facebook page at facebook.com/PhilippineHarvest
