‘Sandugo Trade expo:’ venue

showcasing BISU-DTI ProPEL

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—Thanks to the recently closed Sandugo One Town One Product (OTOP) Trade Expo and other fairs which the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) install for Bohol micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are joining, it provides local industrial design students the opportunity to showcase their creativity.

This sums up the statement of the chair for Bohol Island State University’s (BISU) Industrial Design program Deceryl Gen Saligumba, on the side lines of the Sandugo trade expo at the Island City Mall.

The DTI, in efforts to elevate local products design to meet the international market trends, partnered with BISU College of Engineering, Architecture and Industrial Design for project Product Development Partnership for Empowering MSMES through Learning (ProPEL), shared DTI Provincial Director Vierna Teresa Chiu-Ligan, during a recent interview.

The partnership allows the university to lend their industrial design students to MSMEs needing to upgrade their products through designs, so that in consult with MSMEs, students can present design prototypes for market testing and mass production, when proven a success.

Basically we have this project ProPEL, where in industrial design students of BISU develop designs for our local MSMEs and these designs are original, which could probably give fresh perspectives [into the product displays] and hopefully attract sales, Saligumba said.

For MSMEs, the program brings in fresh design perspectives from students designs, and they were able to produce new products for MSMEs, or improved their designs.

For students, it is an exposure for them to design for real clients, this time, it is not only as a classroom project, but for them to be exposed to real-world clients, constraints, they connect or communicate with clients, do problem solving using the available materials from partner MSME, and with DTI which provides us some more materials and technical help, we came up with these new designs, Saligumba continued.

With Project ProPEL, BISU students rendered innovations in the designs like bamboo engraved notebook cover, tarsier and chocolate hills sliced bread coaster, for Crissander Enterprises, table and chair set for Suyman’s Wood Products, lounging chair, Hulay lounging chair for Cuarteros Abstract and Fine Furniture, Glowara table with ambient lighting, study table and lamp, study chair, ube-leaf shaped table for MRJs Furniture Shop, Huyop Bamboo wind chime, bamboo buzzer, bamboo whistle for Handmade Arts and Crafts, Liliw rattan and bamboo chandelier, glow crab rattan and bamboo trinket box for Antequera Tourist Information and Display Center, bamboo earrings, bamboo tray, bamboo mat, bamboo storage basket for Bamboo Artisanong Lumad, calamay inspired lady mirror case for Canlaas Women Workers association, Rafinno faine raffia shoulder bag, likhaBo raffia handbag, hara, buntod and still many creatively designed handbags for Sinapido Mara and Aram Bag lines and still a hoard of novelty products during the trade expo.

In fact, according to the DTI, product design and development is also provided for Bohol MSMEs though their Design Center of the Philippines which lends to Bohol designers from Manila and the Residesinyo.

We enrolled two designers from Bohol to the Product Development Design Center, when they complete the course, they would be helping local MSMES develop their designs, shares DTI Bohol Senior Trade and Industry Specialist Rey Anthony Regis, during a Kapihan sa PIA session.

Asked about the plan, to further motivate the students and sustain ProPEL, Saligumba said they are trying to push for local MSMEs to be open to the idea of sharing royalties, as a gesture of respecting and protecting intellectual property rights.

In collaboration with the DTI, we do pray that part of the sales for student-designed products, get to students as a form of royalties for every product designed that sells, she said hopefully.

With this, she said hopefully, they can continue to provide designs with value, sustainable designs for the community, to help the community and boost the economy in Bohol. (PIABohol)

BAG DESIGNERS. BISU Industrial Design students visit Sinapido Mara and Aram Baglines booth during the Sandugo Trade Expo. With BISU DTI Partnership in ProPEL, micro entrepreneurs like Lauro Lopido get design help from the students to produce new trendy and chic bags that respond to the needs of the millennials. (PIABohol)