About MERKADOMOR
MERKADOMOR was conceived by the Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Oriental Provincial Office to provide an online platform for local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to promote and sell their products as an incubation channel for marketing and promotion, where MSMEs can launch and market test their products before they bring their products to the mainstream market.
Because DTI is mandated to push for the e-commerce onboarding of MSMEs, it is therefore expedient for the agency to have its own e-commerce platform, that ensures the benefit and welfare for both buyers and sellers.
The platform boasts of competitive advantage compared with other e-commerce sites due to the following reasons:
- No sign-up cost, no monthly fees, and no percentage commission per transaction, thus it is more profitable for MSMEs and affordable for consumers
- A wide array of product choices are offered at factory price since customers directly buy from local producers and manufacturers
- Only verified sellers by the Department of Trade and Industry are allowed to sell in MERKADOMOR
- Patrons of local products can directly reach out to the local producers and manufacturers and are assured that their support trickle-down directly to the local producers and manufacturers and accordingly this support shall also benefit their employees, suppliers, and farmers
MERKADOMOR logo is a colorful combination of blue, red, teal, and orange. Blue and red represent DTI colors as the agency that initiated the development of the website, while teal and orange showcase the colors of OTOP as the program where MERKADOMOR was borne from.
The logo shows people seemingly giving away or reaching out to the spheres above them. This implies the collaboration of different people from different sectors whether from the government or from the private sector. The people reaching out also depicts a community that is helping each other – a network of MSMEs that offer products and services that the people need; and a community of consumers that are helping MSMEs by patronizing local products.
The spheres above them represent ideas, resources, and products that are shared in a community enriched by the Bayanihan spirit.
In essence, the creation of MERKADOMOR fostered collaboration and Bayanihan in the community by providing a platform where MSMEs can offer their products and where communities are able to support them by buying directly from them.
Why Support Local Products in MERKADOMOR?
Sellers in MERKADOMOR are local enterprises, verified by DTI-Misamis Oriental and trained under the agency’s Business Learning Session or Kapatid Mentor Me Program or the Industry Cluster Program. They are also supported by the special programs of the agency like the One Town One Product (OTOP) NextGen Program and most have undergone product development.
DTI-Misamis Oriental supports micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as they are considered the backbone of the country’s economy. They account for about 89% - 99% of total establishments and they provide more jobs to the Filipino people. In hard times like now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are the most resilient, adaptable, and are capable of immediately pivoting their business to respond to the needs of the community. Thus, having a strong number of MSMEs is the hope for the country’s strong and resilient economy.
Most of the MSMEs in Misamis Oriental are also helping farmers, small cottage industries, women, out-of-school youth, indigenous communities, and other marginalized sectors of the locality. These sectors are the backward linkages of MSMEs like providing raw materials, skills, other inputs and doing intermediate processes for the MSMEs. The MSMEs are the most capable to offer help to these sectors, thus helping MSMEs are also helping the least of our Filipino brothers and sisters.
