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Go Pinoy this Christmas!

ber month 2

A few more days to Christmas! But before rushing to stores, make sure that your Christmas shopping list is made up of local products!

Christmas is the time, not only for get-togethers and sharing; for many Filipinos, gift-giving is an important tradition this time of year. To make sure that your gifts are memorable and unique, try veering away from the mass-produced items in stalls and department stores, and opt for quality, proudly Pinoy-made items.
Here are some items we hope will find your way in your shopping cart:

Eco-friendly Bags, Purses and Wallets
You’re not only saving the environment, you’re also making a unique fashion statement with accessories made from recycled plastic. One example is Bag-O Plastic crafted in Bago City, Negros Oriental. A livelihood project for mothers and widows in Bago City to help them provide financial support for their families, Bag-o is a Hiligaynon term that means “new—a fitting name since the project aims to give old plastic bags its new purpose.
Products from Bago City are handmade from 100% recycled plastic bags. Prices usually range from P30 to P1000.

Wine
Imbibe the holiday spirit with the help of local spirits! The coconut vodka, popularly known as Lambanog, is a Filipino favorite produced in the province of Quezon.
You can also give friends fruit-flavored wines produced in Laguna. Goyena, famous for making wine from tropical fruits, has a variety of flavors such as lipote (a local fruit related to the duhat and makopa), abiu (caimito), bignay (currant), pineapple, and the rambutan.

Bamboo Speakers
For the audiophile, you can’t go wrong with sound speakers that operate even without the use of electricity. These sound amplifiers are made of bamboo and work best with smartphones and other portable devices. Handcrafted by Cebuano artisan from bamboo grown locally and harvested manually, Loudbasstards are available online.

Chocolates
What is sweeter than sending chocolates as Christmas present? Forget important goodies; Malagos Chocolates is among the sought-after sweet-makers from Davao that makes its products from local cocoa.
Another must-try is the Theo & Philo Artisan chocolate bars with varieties of dark and milk chocolates, Pili and Pinipig, Barako, Labuyo and Green Mango and Salt. A business that began in 2010, Theo and Philo was first established to promote Philippine cocoa. These chocolates are available in cafes and specialty outlets, such as stores promoting eco-friendly products.
Meanwhile, Risa Chocolates, which is making its rounds in the vicinity of BF Almanza in Las Pinas and Metro Manila, promotes dark chocolates from South Cotabato.

Natural beauty products
If you’re planning to give beauty or health product sthis Christmas, go organic! Now, you can enjoy the beauty benefits of your soap, lotion, and facial wash and cream, minus the chemicals that harm both your health and the environment. Go visit Zenutrients Organic and Natural Beauty outlets or Human Nature, which can be found in different malls nationwide.
Why go local?
Remember that it always helps to buy local because these products don’t only boost tourism by highlighting the provinces where they’re made, but also creates jobs for Filipinos. When you buy Pinoy products, your money goes back to our economy, where it’s needed most. When the demand for Philippine products increase, companies are encouraged to boost their supply by hiring more local workers and expanding their product line.
If you want to check out local products, visit the Department of Tourism’s “Countdown to will showcase the best tourism products and services from 16 regions in the country. Vignette fiesta performances, native arts, and locally processed food products are among the much-awaited highlights.
Aside from featuring locally made products, there will be a travel consultant or concierge who will share vital information regarding the tourist destinations.
For more details, please contact the office of the DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato, Jr. through artboncato@gmail.com or telephone numbers 459-5200 to 30.