Profile, Status, and Prospects of Quirino One Town One Product Program

Abstract

This study is focused in determining the profile, status and prospects of Quirino One Town One Product (OTOP) Program. Specifically, it sought to evaluate the extent of the OTOP program assistance to the enterprise, economic impact of OTOP program and problems encountered in the implementation of the OTOP program.  A total of 25 entrepreneurs were interviewed to gather information concerning the study. The descriptive research design was utilized with the use a survey questionnaire patterned after the instrument provided by the Department of Trade and Industry with some modifications to suit the respondents and the nature of the study as its main gathering instrument and in-depth interview with the participants. All of the respondents were engaged in manufacturing of their own product in a sole proprietorship form where majority of the businesses were involved in processed food and agri-based products which were characteristically young and new to the OTOP Program employing 1 to 5 personnel mostly their family members and neighbors who started with a very small start-up capital through their earnings. Findings, revealed that the OTOP program assistance package offered by the Department of Trade and Industry was effective in terms of its marketing assistance, product development, business counseling and skills and entrepreneurial trainings, however, the financial and technical assistance is somehow weak thus it resulted in less effective impact in terms of its financial and technical impacts. Therefore, the researchers suggest that there should be a tie-up financing scheme between the government and private financial institutions should be made accessible to OTOP Enterprise to scale up their financing capacity, also investment in modern technology to upkeep the productivity level of the enterprise.

Keywords:

Business Counseling, Entrepreneurial Trainings, Marketing Assistance, Product Development