The Department of Trade and Industries Region IX organized a Regional Trade Exposition dubbed as Zamboanga Peninsula Exposition (ZamPex) 2014”.

The week-long affair took off last October 8-11, 2014 at the convention center of Garden Orchid Hotel, this city. The said event was participated by exhibitors from the Zamboanga Peninsula and the five regions in Mindanao which includes ARMM, Regions 10,11,12 and CARAGA. The exposition is in line with the month long celebration of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival.

The Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) III, Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop of DSWD was invited to be one of the participating exhibitors to showcase the products of the Persons With Disabilities (PWD’s) of the center. The ZamPex experience provided a venue for PWD products to be notable to the general public and an opportunity to meet new buyers for the expansion of the said workshop market base.

Among the products displayed during the trade fair were bags with batik ensembles and canvas bags which were designed by the DTI’s designer. Slippers, throw pillows, wallets and cellphone cases were also salable. There were various commendations from spectators on the craftsmanship of the center’s PWD’s regarding the details of sewing despite the disabilities. Ms Rose Garcia from DTI, one of the focal persons who spearheaded the occasion expressed their intention to invite DSWD AVRC III for another trade fair next year.

For future participation of PWD’s in this kind of activity, DSWD-AVRC III management plans to explore the members/production worker to undergo skills enhancement on their craft to attain quality products at the satisfaction of the patronizing market.

The trade fair

was considered a timely venue where the PWD workers could increase their imaginative creativity and elicit their motivation to perform exceptionally as this was the first time that AVRC III Rehab Sheltered Workshop was invited to showcase its products. In due time, products made by PWD shall be at par with the national or even global competitions. ###Jayson Elias