• DTI partners with DoubleDragon

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched its partnership with listed property developer DoubleDragon Properties Corp. for the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the provinces through the setting up of Go Lokal stores.

Under the partnership, DoubleDragon will operate and manage Go Lokal stores in all CityMalls branches nationwide.

DTI said its partnership with the country’s leading mall and department store chains would bring MSME products into the mainstream market.

The agency said it would also ensure a strong and nationwide presence of Go Lokal stores in prime locations for the convenience of the buying public.

“It provides market access to hundreds of MSME’s, as well as contributes to the upliftment of communities and other vulnerable sectors of society by apportioning part of store sales to community-based projects including drug rehabilitation,” the DTI said.

DoubleDragon Properties is a listed property and mall developer of Mang Inasal founder Edgar “Injap” Sia II and Jollibee Foods Corp. chairman Tony Tan Caktiong.

The company has 25 CityMalls to date and plans to have a strong network of 100 CityMalls in the provincial areas of the Philippines by 2020.

Sia said CityMall’s relevance in the provincial areas is becoming more and more evident, driven by the organic shift from traditional retail to modern retail in the Tier3 provincial areas of the country and the noticeable penetration of e-commerce in the Tier1 urban areas of the country.

Aside from CityMall branches, Go Lokal outlets have also opened in malls owned by SM, Ayala and Robinsons.

Go Lokal is a design-led concept store and market platform created by the DTI to showcase modern and indigenous quality products crafted, designed, and created by innovative Philippine MSMEs.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the agency is targeting to have between five and eight Go Lokal stores opened by the end of the year.