There are a bunch of reasons to love the Filipino culture and our country in general. We have been blessed with rich natural resources and beautiful places, not to mention, a wide array of delectable dishes and admirable traits that we can be proud of as Filipinos. However, when it comes to our very own products or anything local, most of us lack the sense of support or pride for Filipino-made handicraft and the culture that they were inspired from. This is a sad reality that we are seeing in our country’s society today. Nevertheless, that doesn’t have to deter us from buying and supporting local products.
Here are reasons to love Filipino-made products:
1. It Helps Boost Small Businesses
Every time you support local businesses, you also help grow their business. More than the products and services they bring to us, we enable them to expand their businesses, make a living, and generate more job opportunities for Filipinos, helping to provide a source of income for them.
2. It Brings More Recognition to Our Culture
The colonial mentality in our country is strongly evident and is a result of several years of colonization by other countries. Sad truth is that despite the potential and capabilities of our Filipino people, we still continue to be entrapped by this kind of mentality — hence why we tend to support and admire foreign works and products more than our own to the point that we miss out on how remarkable a gawang Pinoy can be.
In supporting local products, we can help bring more recognition to our culture and directly appreciate the very hands and talents of our local craftsmen. And we’re not only talking about local handicrafts here, but also other Pinoy-made products of various industries in the country.
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3. It Builds Up the Economy
You may not realize it, but supporting or purchasing locally-made products from local businesses helps build up the economy. How? Well, to simply put, money circulates in the local community or only in the country — which will be favorable for us since it would mean that it will generate jobs and funds, contribute to the enhancement of public infrastructure, and create more opportunities and projects for local businesses. Think of it this way: when you help grow small businesses in the country, you also strengthen the country’s economy.
4. It Supports Our Local Farmers
When you continue to support local products and purchase from local businesses, you also get to support our farmers. They may not know who you are, but you get to contribute in providing them with means of living. It’s not enough that we feel compassion and empathy toward their struggles — we should do something about it. It’s a no-brainer effort, actually because it can be as simple as purchasing produce directly from farmers, eating at farm-to-table restaurants and cafes, using social media to promote stores that sell local products, and more.
An emphasis on the reality that; we may have been caught up in making a big fuss out of all the foreign products coming out here and there that we have neglected to appreciate and even support what our local farmers and businesses are working on and are capable of producing.
No doubt that the Philippines is very rich in natural resources, which can be used to create and produce beautiful and useful products that we can be proud of. And in continuing to support our very own products, we help promote our culture, grow small businesses, build up our economy, and recognize the hands and ideas that made creating the products possible. Let’s continue to support Pinoy-made products!
