by Lowell Vallecer
ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — Mr. Luis P. Manalang, a professional product designer who currently heads the Design Division of the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) has this to say to Region 9's small and medium entrepreneurs (SME); "In today's highly competitive business environment, successful product development is of utmost import if your business hopes to survive for any length of time".
Having been in the product development and design profession spanning almost three decades and having assisted hundreds of SMEs all over the country, Manalang knew whereof he speaks. "The entrepreneurs who invested time and resources to continuously develop new products or innovate and improve their existing product lines had better chances of survival and to prosper than those who did not", Manalang said.
Manalang was among the three product designers from PDDCP who provided product development assistance to the region's SMEs from July 1 to 8, 2011 at the invitation of DTI-9.
"Product development can be very expensive, particularly if you hire designers from private consultancy firms in Manila for your needs", regional director Nazrullah Manzur of the trade department said.
"That is why we partnered with PDDCP to help our SMEs in the region come up with new product and packaging designs and also update them on the current market trends for free, Manzur said.
In the agency services briefing conducted by Ms. Analiza Florida Perez, Senior Industrial Design Specialist of PDDCP, she explained that her office is mandated to promote design as a tool for improving the quality and competitiveness of Philippine products as it services the design needs and requirements of small and medium enterprises.
Together with Manalang and Perez was Mr. Chester Gazzingan, also a professional designer whose expertise include industrial design.
When asked how come they stayed with government when there is so much more opportunities for them abroad, the three designers merely smiled and said that there is much more to life than just money or fame.
"We stayed with PDDCP because it is here where we are able to express the most our God-given gifts and talents. The psychic income is compensation enough especially when we see those once struggling entrepreneurs grew to where they are now because of our services. That is something money cannot buy'", they said.
Indeed, the SME beneficiaries and the DTI-9 management have been very appreciative seeing how the PDDCP project team worked, often on extended periods of time just to be able to accommodate the SMEs waiting patiently to be served in the provinces.
Almost all the beneficiary SMEs rated the team with excellent marks. KGD Infinite Fashion of Zamboanga City wrote, "The designers are talented and very kind. They gave us additional ideas to develop our designs and craftsmanship. Keep it up! "
Another SME, the Phesalabuhan Subanen De Siay gave this remark referring to the design team, "Very expert on this field; very accommodating to SMEs"
As of last count, the team assisted 44 SMEs from Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City and Isabela City.
144 new product designs had so far been crafted as well as a still to be determined number of packaging designs were given free of charge to the said SMEs.
The PDDCP project team will come again on the third week of August for the second phase which will be devoted to the critiquing and evaluation of the prototypes developed by the SMEs from the designs given to them. (lsv/DTI/pia-9/
