Implementation Capacity and OTOP Program Effectiveness in a Philippine Province

The One Town, One Product (OTOP) program is a Philippine government initiative aimed at promoting local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through capacity-building, technical assistance, and market access. Despite legislative support under RA 11960, the effectiveness of OTOP programs varies across local government units (LGUs), highlighting the need to examine policy alignment, implementation capacity, and entrepreneur experiences. This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design to assess OTOP implementation in a Philippine province, integrating document analysis of LGU ordinances, key informant interviews with LGU and DTI focal persons, and a survey of 85 participating entrepreneurs. Findings indicate that LGU ordinances generally align with RA 11960 objectives, but gaps exist in IRR adoption, funding clarity, coordination, and monitoring. Implementation capacity varied across LGUs, with strengths in staffing and basic procedures offset by weaknesses in technical expertise, program coordination, and evaluation frameworks. Entrepreneur perspectives revealed high satisfaction with training and participation but lower satisfaction with product development support and marketing facilitation. The study underscores that formal policy alignment alone does not ensure program effectiveness; administrative capacity, operational execution, and stakeholder engagement are critical. Recommendations include strengthening LGU operational procedures, enhancing technical support for entrepreneurs, and improving inter-agency coordination to maximize the socio-economic impact of OTOP initiatives.