Villar: OTOP posts 100% gains in increased income

The government's One Town One Product (OTOP) program that provides P1 million assistance to the 1,610 cities and municipalities in the country to promote their products, registered a 100 percent increased income ranging from 10% to more than 50%, said Senator Cynthia A. Villar.

Also based on accomplishments reports published by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) covering the period of 2005 to the third quarter of 2010, Villar said beneficiaries of the program reported a 51% improvement in their quality of life.

"There was also a 90 percent improved business operations and facilities," noted Villar, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food committee.

The bottomline here, Villar said, the lives of many of our countrymen improved due to the program aimed to stimulate "domestic economic activities in the countryside."

"Personally, I greatly appreciate OTOP because of its framework dependent on boosting the small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro SMEs. As former congresswoman, Villar was the principal author of Republic Act 9178 or the so-called 'Magna Carta for Micro Enterprises,' said Villar.

She and former Senator Manny Villar have always been firm believers that SMEs and micro SMEs are the key in lifting poor Filipinos out of poverty. They are also advocates of entrepreneurship.

"In fact, this drove her ton develop barangay-based livelihood enterprises in her hometown in Las Piñas. I started this when I was a congresswoman and until now as managing director of Villar Foundation. I have expanded my programs," she said.

Villar said she has also been going around the country to give training and machines to interested and committed individuals or organizations. They already have 500 pilot projects nationwide. The OTOP program, also called "Isang Bayan, Isang Produkto, Isang Milyong Piso," was institutionalized via Executive Order No. 176 last February 11, 2003. It was patterned after the "One Village One Product."

"We can't deny the fact that OTOP has been helping a great number of our people. OTOP is part of a five-year (from 2005 to 2010) anti-poverty programs and projects of the DTI, the implementing agency of OTOP.

When OTOP was launched, the senator said it was met with a lot of enthusiasm by local executives of cities and municipalities. "And just like OTOP, the livelihood enterprises of Villar Foundation, now Villar SIPAG, has been helping improve the quality of life not only of Las Piñeros, but our people nationwide," related the senator.