2019 Orgullo Kan Bicol Trade and Travel Fair Happening Now Oct. 9 til 13th in Megatrade, SM Megamall

Visiting the many booths showcasing delectable delicacies and uniquely handcrafted designs of Orgullo Kan Bicol  (OKB) Trade and Travel Fair feels like a quick trip back to my home province, Bicol! I have covered many trade fairs in the country like DTI's National Trade Fair and Tara Na Sa Norte but OKB is the one closest to my heart because it is everything about the place where I was born and my family live.

Now on its 23rd year, OKB Trade and Travel Fair is featuring 297 micro, small, and medium enterprises from Region 5 of South Luzon. Who would have thought OKB Trade and Travel Fair started only 1996 with 49 participating exhibitors only will go a long, long way? In fact, OKB is the longest-running DTI-initiated trade fair. This year, 137 out of 297 are first-time exhibitors bringing 659 new products ready for purchase.

For five days, visitors will be able to buy the best Bicolano-made items coming from Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon such as processed foods, ceramics, fine jewelry, furniture/furnishing, holiday decors, wearables & homestyle etc.

This happy kid inside bought few items back home like the sinantol dish of Camarines Norte, Moringa tree from Glorious Land, angko from Camarines Norte, another sticky rice version I forgot but we call it in Irosin "hinagom", and of course pili nuts. 

I was also very happy to meet the woman behind PiliCrush who hails from my hometown, Irosin. She makes healthier variants of pili nuts that are pre-sprouted, dehydrated, and wildly harvested from the mountains of our Irosin. I super love the pili nuts with pink Himalayan salt and the one with Manuka honey.

The media launching that happened today, Oct. 9th was attended by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona, Special Concerns Assistant Secretary Ameenah Abecede Fajardo, Regional Director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco, Provincial Directors and other DTI officials of DTI Region 5. All of them are very proud of the many achievements of our local business owners who are striving to bring our brands to the world. 

Senator Koko (he mentioned this during DTI-BDTP's National Trade Fair as well) said that the unemployment rate has significantly went down. This means more and more Filipinos are having decent jobs. 

Orgullo Kan Bicol Trade and Travel Fair also features BIKOLINARIA, cooking demos for famous and peculiar dishes from Bicol. OKB Trade and Travel Fair is free entrance. See you there! To get updated more via social media, you can follow DTI Region 5 Facebook Fan Page HERE. Yours truly is also excited to cover another DTI-backed event, the National Arts & Craft Fair this Oct. 24-27, 2019!