SOCIAL SET

Cocopreneur triumph

The bustling event highlighted the versatility and commercial potential of the Philippine ‘tree of life’ through an array of food and non-food innovations.

Luis Espiritu · Oct 26, 2026, 3:48 AM

DTI Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista; Chef Heny Sison (founder and owner, Heny Sison Culinary School); Happy Ongpauco Tiu (founder and owner, Happy Concept Group); DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque; Robert Trotta (president and CEO, Max’s Group Inc.), Eric Thomas Dee (COO, FooDee Global Concepts); and Angelo Comsti (food author and entrepreneur). — Photographs courtesy of DTI

The second DTI-Bagong Pilipinas National Trade Fair featuring COCONUTPhilippines successfully concluded its run at the SM Megamall Megatrade Halls, establishing local coconut products as the premier choice for sustainable holiday gifting.

SM Megamall hosts a DTI-PCA holiday fair featuring locally made coconut products, from festive treats to lifestyle essentials. — Photographs courtesy of DTI

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Bureau of Market Development, Promotions and OTOP also known as BMDPO, in coordination with the Philippine Coconut Authority, the five-day event bridged the gap between rural producers and urban markets.

Micro, small and medium enterprises alongside beneficiaries of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan successfully connected directly with eager consumers, corporate buyers, and commercial distributors, capitalizing on the early surge of holiday shopping demand.

The bustling event highlighted the versatility and commercial potential of the Philippine “tree of life” through an array of food and non-food innovations.

Beyond generating strong direct retail sales for authentic delicacies, natural cosmetics and lifestyle décor, the fair facilitated crucial structured business matching. This provided participating “cocopreneurs” with the vital market feedback and corporate connections needed to scale their packaging, pricing and distribution strategies for both domestic and global export markets.

Ultimately, this landmark edition proved that the future of festive giving is not only authentically Filipino, but beautifully sustainable.

EVE Luna — Photographs courtesy of DTI

YUKIO Estrella — Photographs courtesy of DTI

ALIZA Apostol-Goco — Photographs courtesy of DTI

CHAL Lontoc — Photographs courtesy of DTI

LESLEY Rivero-Martinez — Photographs courtesy of DTI

KID Tan Dee and Shine Kuk. — Photographs courtesy of DTI

GEORGE Salud and Sam Valenciano. — Photographs courtesy of DTI

MEL Benipayo, Abby Tabladillo and Shie Chua. — Photographs courtesy of DTI

CLAY Seyer, John Vincent Socorro and Marc Gabriel. — Photographs courtesy of DTI