MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the Calabarzon region posted P8.4 million in sales at a five-day regional trade fair, surpassing its original P5-million target, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Tuesday.
The 13th Kalakal Calabarzon Regional Trade Fair, themed “Galing Lokal Hanggang Global,” ran June 24–28 in Makati and featured 51 DTI-assisted MSMEs from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
Held since 2014, the fair has served as a premier platform for promoting and marketing products from Calabarzon-based enterprises, giving entrepreneurs direct access to bulk buyers, boosting retail sales and introducing locally made products to a wider market.
“The success of kalakal Calabarzon 2026 reflects the strength and competitiveness of our MSMEs,” DTI Regional Director Marissa Argente said, calling the trade fair a gateway to larger consumer markets. “Surpassing our sales target demonstrates a growing appreciation for locally made products and the increasing confidence of consumers and buyers in the quality of regional enterprises.”
DTI Regional Operations Group supervising Head Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona said trade fairs play a key role in helping entrepreneurs scale up. “Our goal is to help our entrepreneurs transition from micro to small, from small to medium and from medium to large enterprises, and ultimately becoming globally competitive businesses and exporters,” she said.