by IT Cabanes

LEGAZPI CITY (10 October) -- The newly organized Bicol Designers Association, Inc. (BIDEAS) is currently under contract with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in its product development program for the conduct of Orgullo kan Bikol (OK Bikol) Trade Fair scheduled October 11-14, 2007 at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

DTI Bicol regional director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco bared that BIDEAS was hired by DTI Region V to assist Bicolano entrepreneurs who are joining the OK Bikol Trade Fair to come up with new and trendy products to be exhibited for order taking by institutional buyers during the fair.

For this year, a total of 107 new and unique designs were created by the local designers for 26 manufacturers in Bicol who will join the OK Bikol Fair.

The province of Albay has two beneficiaries with a total of eight designs; Camarines Norte has four beneficiaries with nine designs and Camarines Sur with six beneficiaries and 33 designs. The island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate have six and five beneficiaries with 15 and 21 designs respectively while Sorsogon has three beneficiaries with 21 designs.

All these new products will be displayed at the Special Setting to be mounted by members of BIDEAS themselves, Blanco said.

It can be recalled that the members of the organization had initial contract with DTI last year when they were hired as individual designers for OK Bikol participants. With that stint, the members decided to organize themselves to have a legal personality in dealing with DTI and other government or non-government agencies who might want to hire their services.

The officers of BIDEAS are the following: president -Alfonso M. Peñol, Jr. of Camarines Sur; vice-president - Roy B. Magdaraog of Legazpi City; secretary - Froilan Angelo R. Dy of Camarines Sur; treasurer - Cesar T. Cueta of Legazpi; auditor -Allan Jay J. Jesalva of Sorsogon and board of directors - Ronil B. Magdaraog of Legazpi City and Ruben A. Fortuno of Tabaco City.

Blanco said on the need to have local designers available to its clients, the DTI Region V took the initiative of organizing them. The agency hosted its initial meetings and assisted the members until they were able to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last August 31.

Now on its infancy stage, the group aims to promote designing profession as a tool for economic development by assisting local producers/manufacturers in their product design and packaging needs.