Quezon City —
The Department of Trade
and Industry – Laguna
Provincial Office (DTI-Laguna), together with the
Provincial Government of
Laguna (PGL), formally
opened the 6-day Tara,
Pasyal Na! at Eastwood
City, Quezon City, Metro
Manila, last May 26, 2023.
This is the first run of the
mall tourism campaign
roadshow, which is initiated by the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls together with
the Department of Tourism
to highlight the Philippines’
rich diversity of destinations, cuisine, culture, and
one-of-a-kind experiences
and promote the country
as a premier travel destination, both locally and
internationally.
DTI-Laguna and
PGL are in-charge for the
promotion and showcase
of the “Likhang Local” and
“Threads of Tradition”,
as well as in the fashion
show. This is to further
promote the creativity of
Laguna local designers.
Several key personalities witnessed and
showed support during
the opening ceremony,
including DTI Undersecretary Maria Blanca Kim
B. Lokin, DTI-4A OIC Regional Director Marissa C.
Argente, DTI-Laguna OIC
Provincial Director Christian Ted O. Tungohan, and
DTI-Rizal OIC Provincial
Director Cleotilde M. Duran.
In her inspirational message, DTI
USec Lokin congratulated
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls,
Department of Tourism,
Department of Science
and Technology, PGL, and
DTI-4A and DTI-Laguna
for organizing a momentous event where local
products and tourist destinations are highlighted
and featured.
Furthermore, DTI
USec Lokin emphasized
that we celebrate not just
the beauty of fashion and
distinctive taste of food but
the opportunity it creates
for promoting local tourism. She also recognized
the collaborative efforts
of DTI-4A, DTI-Laguna,
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls,
PGL, Laguna designers, and MSMEs toward
achieving a common goal.
She quoted,
“the Province of Laguna is fortunate for having
the best of Filipino food,
travel destinations, fashions and arts, which this
event, Tara, Pasyal Na!,
is showcasing here at
Eastwood Mall. Laguna is
known for (1) fashion like
footwear from Liliw and
Binan, embroideries of
Lumban, and fashionable
bags and accessories in
different parts of Laguna;
(2) food such as Puto of
Biñan, ensaymada of San
Pedro, buko pie of Los
Baños, bibingka of Luisiana, duck-based products
of Victoria, and so on; (3)
arts like woodcarvings of
Paete (the Carving Capital
of the Philippines), Paper
Mache of Pangil and Pakil,
handicrafts of Mabitac to
name a few; and (4) travel
destinations, such as Enchanted Kingdom of Santa
Rosa, water falls of Pagsanjan, Majayjay, Luisiana
and Siniloan, seven lakes
of San Pablo City, and hot
spring resorts of Calamba
and Los Baños.”
Toward the end
of her speech, DTI USec.
Lokin urged all stakeholders to maximize opportunity such as presented
by this event to promote
fashion and local tourism.
Tara, Pasyal Na! At Eastwood City run from May
26 to 31, 2023. A separate
opening and ribbon cutting
ceremony to support Laguna food products and to
bring the taste of Laguna
to the metro was held on
May 29, 2023, at the Eastwood Central Plaza.
Overall, twenty-one (21) MSME exhibi
tors took part in this event.
These MSMEs offered
wide variety of products
from processed food and
other agri-based food
products, high-value coconut-based food products,
other beverages, innovative Filipino desserts, and
coconut-based health and
wellness products to furniture and furnishings, gift
and household decors,
fashion accessories and
wearables, and handmade
crafts. A total of approximately Php475,000.00 cumulative sales were generated from the event.
Aside from trade
fair and selling exhibitions,
DTI-Laguna also showcased the incredible pieces made by local artisans
and designers from the
province of Laguna at the
fashion show component
of the “Tara, Pasyal Na!”
at Eastwood City entitled
“Threads of Tradition: A
Laguna Fashion Fusion”.
The fashion show is also
in partnership with PGL
and Megaworld Lifestyle
Malls – Eastwood City and
commenced right after the
opening ceremony on May
26, 2023, at Eastwood
Mall Open Park, Quezon
City, Metro Manila.
This year’s Top 5
Ginoong Laguna and Top 5
Binibining Laguna walked
the runway wearing modern barong, dress and
gowns made by Frederick
Berches Barong Avenue
and Designers Circle Philippines – Laguna Province,
handmade footwear by AiShe Footwear, earrings by
Leny Handy Crafts, and
wooden-inspired bags and
accessories from Kath’s
Handicrafts Trading.
Present during
the said fashion show were
DTI-ROG Assistant Secretary Leonila T. Baluyut,
DTI-4A OIC Regional Director Marissa C. Argente, DTI-4A OIC Assistant
Regional Director Revelyn
A. Cortez, DTI-Laguna
OIC Provincial Director
Christian Ted O. Tungohan, Laguna LTCATO OIC
Department Head Pamela
Baun, and Laguna LEDIPO Designate Fatima
Eleanor Villasenor. (IMFlores, DTI-Laguna)
