Duty Free Philippines (DFP) the country’s sole operator of the duty-and tax-free merchandising system, announced that Cebu province’s best local products topped in terms of sales at the DFP store inside Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

DFP chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said based on the sales performance from January to August 2019, local products have become the bestseller, marking 25.97 percent share in the total sales of the International Departure of MCIA Terminal 2.

Meanwhile, the consistent bestsellers, liquor, and skincare products ranked second and third, respectively.

Angala said DFP seeks to feature more of the region’s best local products in response to the growing number of foreign tourists visiting Cebu.

“DFP Mactan is the new shopping haven for Cebu’s famous local ‘pasalubong’ where tourists can bring home a piece of the Philippines to their home country as souvenirs,” he said.

“It is the perfect venue to showcase the region’s ingenuity, creativity, and artistry,” he added.

DFP Mactan was inaugurated in August 2018 and has an area of about 1,200 square meters, both in the pre-departure and arrival areas.

The store is also offering a “shop-now-pickup-later” mode for international travelers who have confirmed a departure ticket to the Philippines within 30 calendar days.

The Travelite Program allows travelers to purchase items before their departure time, and to claim the items upon their return to the country. The shopping mode also offers customers a 7 percent discount on selected items.

Aside from export-quality Filipino products, the store boasts of an expanded range of merchandise, which includes perfumes, cosmetics, confectionery, cigarettes, and liquors.

The store has two sections –the “Philippine Gifts and Souvenirs” section which carries high-quality destination products and locally made souvenirs and the section called “A Taste of the Philippines”, which features the region’s local food and delicacies.

Duty Free Philippines, an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is mandated to satisfy the duty-free shopping needs of international travelers.

It is a vital component of the DOT as it contributes to the efforts in the development of the country’s tourism infrastructure, programs, and projects. (PNA)