Likha ng Central Luzon 2025: Showcasing the Heartbeat of Filipino Creativity and Resilience

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Mandaluyong City, Philippines — From October 15 to 19, 2025, the Mega Trade Hall 2 of SM Megamall will once again transform into a vibrant hub of innovation, craftsmanship, and culture as the 27th Likha ng Central Luzon Trade Fair takes center stage.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 3 and Philexport Region 3, with the strong backing of the Regional Development Council – R3 and the Central Luzon Growth Corridor Foundation Inc. (CLGCFI) composed of the seven provincial governors of the region, Likha stands as one of the longest-running and most anticipated trade fairs in the country. For nearly three decades, it has championed the ingenuity of Central Luzon’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), elevating local industries to national and global recognition.

A Legacy of Empowering Local Enterprises

More than just a marketplace, Likha ng Central Luzon is the culmination of months of capacity-building programs, technical trainings, and product development initiatives designed to equip local entrepreneurs with the tools they need to compete globally. Each year, the trade fair becomes a platform where ideas meet opportunities — linking grassroots creativity with institutional buyers, exporters, and conscious consumers who value authenticity and quality.

This year, over 140 MSMEs from across the region will proudly present their flagship products under distinctive provincial branding:

Aurora – “Siempre Aurora”

Bataan – “Galing Bataan”

Bulacan – “Tatak Bulakenyo”

Nueva Ecija – “Taas Noo Novo Ecijano”

Pampanga – “Love Pampanga”

Tarlac – “Natural Tarlac”

Zambales – “Zambales Finest”

These brands do not merely represent commodities — they embody the pride, culture, and resilience of their people.

A Feast of Innovation and Craftsmanship

Visitors to the 2025 fair can expect an impressive array of product categories that reflect both tradition and modernity:

Processed Food that highlights Central Luzon’s culinary heritage

Furniture and Home Furnishings blending craftsmanship with sustainability

Wearables such as fashion accessories, Filipiniana, footwear, and jewelry

Gifts, Holiday Décor, and Novelty Items that capture Filipino creativity

Beverages showcasing local flavors

Woodcraft and Handicrafts that honor indigenous artistry

Organic and Cosmetic Products tapping into the wellness market

Beyond the diverse displays, a special feature will highlight products developed under the Shared Service Facility (SSF) and OTOP Next Gen Program of the DTI. This includes innovative packaging, label design upgrades, and newly crafted items that push the boundaries of creativity. In addition, coconut-based products will take the spotlight — reinforcing the versatility of this “tree of life” as a sustainable source of livelihood and innovation.

A United Front for Regional Growth

The strength of Likha lies not only in its exhibitors but also in its network of partners. This year’s fair is supported by Philexport-3, RDC-3, CLGCFI, Philippine Information Agency, local government units of the seven provinces, SMED Councils, and DTI’s attached bureaus and agencies. Together, they form a united front, committed to uplifting communities and ensuring Central Luzon’s rightful place in the national and international market.

More Than a Trade Fair — A Movement

Now on its 27th year, Likha ng Central Luzon has grown beyond a regional showcase. It has become a movement for Filipino pride, sustainability, and empowerment, a yearly reminder that our local entrepreneurs are the backbone of the economy and the bearers of culture and identity.

As the fair opens its doors this October, it invites every visitor — buyers, advocates, and everyday Filipinos — to witness not just products, but stories of perseverance, creativity, and transformation. Likha is more than trade. It is the heartbeat of Central Luzon, echoing resilience, unity, and the unyielding spirit of the Filipino.

20 Lead-Containing Imported Spray Paints Up for Confirmatory Tests

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

17 September 2025, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition has submitted 20 samples of imported spray paints sold locally to a private laboratory for confirmatory lead content analyses.

The laboratory test results for the 20 analyzed paints will be revealed next month as part of the group’s commemoration of the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) organized by the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint, a joint initiative co-led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Prior to sending the samples to the laboratory, the 20 samples were examined for lead using a handheld Olympus Vanta M Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, an effective screening device for determining the lead content of paints.

Based on the XRF screening it conducted, the group found the samples laden with varying levels of lead with 12 of them exceeding 10,000 parts per million (ppm) of lead. DENR A.O. 2013-24 banned lead in paint manufacturing and established a maximum limit of 90 ppm for lead in all paint categories.

In an apparent case of mislabeling, 13 of the 20 lead-containing paints deceptively carried the "No Pb" pictogram, which is supposed to indicate that a product contains no lead (plumbum is the Latin word for lead for which Pb is derived).

Among those found with extremely high concentrations of lead were Easyman Spray Paint All Purpose Enamel (yellow, over 100,000 ppm; orange, 84,900 ppm; and green, 65,600 ppm); counterfeit Bosny Spray Paint (yellow, 89,400 ppm); Standard JR Spray Paint (fresh green, 77,800 ppm); JM Spray Paint (medium yellow, 75,000 ppm); and JMJAFA Spray Paint (Jialing red, 50,640 ppm).

The detection of lead in excess of 90 ppm in the 20 paint samples is a violation of DENR A.O. 2023-24, or the Chemical Control Order (CCO) banning the use of lead as a pigment, drying catalyst, anti-corrosive agent or for some other purposes in the production of paints, the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized.

The said CCO gave manufacturers three years from 2013 to 2016 to remove and replace lead as an ingredient in decorative paints. The ban on lead-containing decorative paints took effect on January 1, 2017.

On the other hand, lead in industrial paints was eliminated after a longer transition period of six years from 2013 to 2019. The ban on lead-containing industrial paints became effective on January 1, 2020.

 

Lead in paint is a major source of childhood lead exposure, which can harm the brain, the central nervous system and other systems of the human body. Exposure to lead early in life can result in lower intelligence quotient (IQ), inattentiveness, impaired learning ability, conduct disorder, aggression and other behavioral problems.

“There is no safe level of lead exposure,” stated the World Health Organization (WHO), which has listed lead among the “ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern."

To protect vulnerable populations, especially children, women and workers, against the health-damaging effects of lead exposure, the EcoWaste Coalition is campaigning for strengthened compliance monitoring and enforcement of the country’s lead paint ban.

 

The group, together with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) and other environmental health groups, is also advocating for the listing of lead chromates in the Rotterdam Convention to control the global trade of these common lead-based pigments and paints containing them.

In the meantime, the EcoWaste Coalition urged consumers to always insist on their legally protected rights to product information and product safety, and to seek out and only use adequately labeled paints with no added lead.

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PHLPost Strengthens Workplace Safety, Accessibility, and Inclusivity

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In line with its commitment to public service and employee welfare, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has implemented new measures that reinforce safety, accessibility, and inclusivity within its facilities.



Acting Postmaster General and CEO Maximo C. Sta. Maria III directed the initiatives, starting with a fire safety drill last 11 September 2025, where key postal workers were equipped with both principles and hands-on experience on how to respond effectively to fire-related emergencies.



“This is not just timely, but also a necessity. What we’ll learn today are life skills we can apply not just here but also in our respective communities,” Atty. Lee P. Viceral, Assistant Postmaster General for Management Support Services and Risk Management Committee Chairman, said as he opened the event.

All areas were also directed to conduct their respective earthquake and fire drills nationwide as part of disaster preparedness activities indicated in the corporation’s Public Service Continuity Plan (PSCP).



With recurrent flooding affecting the area especially during heavy rains, PHLPost constructed a pedestrian pathway to ensure uninterrupted access to its premises, allowing the public to avail its services regardless of the weather.



In addition, PHLPost completed installing a ramp for differently-abled persons, making its facilities more inclusive for everyone. It is also exploring the opportunity of hiring more individuals who may be physically challenged but are qualified as part of its workforce.



With these initiatives, PHLPost continues to foster a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment that empowers its employees, enabling them to serve the needs of the public in a better, more efficient way.