LAOAG CITY — From food and handicrafts to other homegrown products, all 80 barangays of Laoag City are coming together this weekend as the city puts local entrepreneurs and community-made products in the spotlight.
The “One Barangay, One Product” showcase runs from September 18 to 20 at Aurora Park, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to discover products made by communities across the Ilocos Norte capital. The Philippine Statistics Authority confirms that Laoag has 80 barangays.
The initiative is designed not only as a weekend marketplace but also as a platform for strengthening small businesses, promoting local identity and opening new opportunities for community entrepreneurs.
80 Barangays, One Big Marketplace
The concept is straightforward: give every barangay an opportunity to showcase products that represent its own skills, resources and entrepreneurial activity.
Instead of concentrating business opportunities in commercial centers, the program brings community-based products into a common venue where consumers can discover them in one place.
The three-day event at Aurora Park is therefore expected to function as both a trade showcase and a community celebration, highlighting the variety of products emerging from Laoag’s barangays.
More Than Just Selling Products
The “One Barangay, One Product” approach is part of a broader effort in the Philippines to help micro and small enterprises move beyond simply producing goods for their immediate communities.
The Philippine Information Agency reported in July that the DTI’s OBOPreneur trade-fair model provides local entrepreneurs with opportunities for market exposure, consumer feedback, networking and improvements in product quality, packaging and marketability.
Those activities can become an important first step for small businesses seeking to reach larger domestic markets.
Under related DTI programs, entrepreneurs can also receive assistance involving product development, capability building, certification, marketing and participation in trade fairs.
From Barangay Products to Bigger Markets
For many community entrepreneurs, one of the biggest challenges is not necessarily producing a product—it is finding customers beyond their immediate area.
Trade fairs and local product showcases can help bridge that gap.
The PIA previously highlighted entrepreneurs in Iguig, Cagayan, whose participation in an OBOPreneur trade fair gave them exposure to new customers and business networks. Products featured there included native delicacies, breads and pastries, mushroom products, processed fruits and vegetables, handicrafts and traditional pottery.
The same model points toward a larger goal: helping barangay-level enterprises eventually progress from One Barangay, One Product to broader One Town, One Product markets and, for some businesses, potentially regional, national or international markets.
Local Products Can Also Strengthen Local Identity
Beyond sales, programs like this give communities a way to showcase products tied to their local culture and resources.
That can include traditional food, agricultural products, handmade goods and other items developed through skills passed between generations.
The PIA’s reporting on the OBOPreneur program noted that locally available raw materials, product innovation and sustainable production can all play a role in helping community enterprises become more competitive.
For Laoag, bringing all 80 barangays together creates a particularly broad showcase of what the city’s communities can produce.
Why MSMEs Matter
Micro, small and medium enterprises are a major part of the Philippine economy, and government programs increasingly focus on helping these businesses improve their products and gain access to markets.
The PIA reported that DTI’s support for barangay entrepreneurs includes product development, quality improvement, certification assistance, market promotion and entrepreneurship training.
These interventions can be especially valuable for small producers that may not have the resources to independently market their products outside their communities.
Laoag’s Three-Day Push for Local Business
With all 80 barangays participating, the September 18–20 showcase gives Laoag a chance to turn local entrepreneurship into a citywide event.
For consumers, it offers a chance to discover products from different parts of the city.
For entrepreneurs, it provides exposure, potential customers and an opportunity to learn what buyers are looking for.
And for the barangays themselves, it turns local products into a visible representation of community skills and economic activity.
The bigger story is not simply what shoppers can find at Aurora Park this weekend.
It is whether today’s small barangay products can become tomorrow’s recognizable local brands.
