Ten new product designers from Davao City who trained for two weeks in the Product Development Design Center in Manila are back to help some 50 MSMEs in the region conceptualize and design new products for world markets.

"It's high time for us to have our own pool of product designers," said acting regional director Marizon Loreto of the region's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

This pool of skilled Filipino product designers, according to Loreto, had been deployed in the provinces of Davao region to conduct product design clinics among MSMEs that earlier sought assistance from the DTI in developing new product ideas based on the raw materials abundant in their respective areas.

Armed with their newly trained skills in product design and development, the ten Davao product designers eventually came out with 80 unique designs, 50 of which were selected by MSMEs to become product prototypes for market testing, according to Loreto.

In putting together the program, trade promotion chief Rose Engingco said small entrepreneurs in the region had been hampered for years by the lack of product designers.

"We have so many talented designers in Davao so we decided to train our own pool of product designers to help our MSMEs," said Engingco.

The region's pool of new product designers was launched during the recent 10th Davao Trade Expo at the Davao Convention and Trade Center in Davao City.

Introduced formally during the trade fair as among Davao's pool of product designers were: Leny Castillo of Great Gifts and Souvenirs, Betty More of Katakus Inc, Ting Villanueva of Queen Victoris Homes, Joel Ouano of Extreme Internet Cafe, Juvenal Fernandez of Tadeco Livelihood, Lou Riveral of Hands On International, Joan Tanoy Salaver of Caravan Furnishing, Bai Julnar Sinsuat-Mending of Me and My Beads, Carmela Alcantara of Crystal Seas, and Rey Rafailes of RER Designs.