EAT ALL YOU CAN. The durian fruit is one of the highlights of the three-day “MinDA Tienda sa Manila” that ended on Oct. 25, 2020. The store caravan, which features products from Mindanao, is set to be replicated in Baguio City on November 14-15. (Photo courtesy of MinDA)
DAVAO CITY – After the successful "MinDA Tienda sa Manila" last week, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the City of Baguio have agreed to hold another leg of the event on November 14 to 15.
“I led the MinDA team, which met with Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong yesterday (Tuesday) at the Baguio Country Club, to finalize what we had earlier agreed on by phone. It was agreed yesterday that ‘MinDA Tienda sa Cordillera’ will focus on Mindanao products, which are in great demand in Baguio City and the nearby provinces,” MinDA chief, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
Sea products from as far as Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, including dried fish from the Zamboanga Peninsula, would be brought to the “MinDA Tienda sa Cordillera”, with the support of the Bangsamoro autonomous government, Piñol said.
He said Mindanao's meat products, including the famous beef from pineapple-fed cows, would also be showcased during the event, along with durian, marang, mangosteen, lanzones, and pomelo.
“The arrangements for the ‘MinDA Tienda sa Cordillera’ will make it easier for Mindanao farmers, fishermen, and producers to sell their products as the Baguio City team will receive the commodities and handle the sale and distribution for the two-day event,” Piñol said.
It would be MinDA's third collaboration with Baguio after the two MinDA Fruit Festivals held in the city last year.
He said more Luzon cities and provinces have expressed interest in hosting the “MinDA Tienda” in their areas.
“MinDA will coordinate with interested local government units (LGUs) to schedule the event,” Piñol said.
On the other hand, Helen de Castro, MinDA’s Investment Promotions Division head, said the three-day "MinDA Tienda in Manila" that ended on October 25 generated a total sale of PHP2.75 million.
“This is a huge success for MinDA, (the) city government of Manila, participating Mindanao LGUs and national line agencies, and most of all, for the Mindanao micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and farmers,” de Castro said, noting that the event succeeded even amid the "challenges and limitations" caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid–19) crisis.
Aside from direct product selling and marketing during the activity, she said investment leads initially forged by some MSMEs and farmers were also highlighted as key results of the “Manila Tienda”.
“Some of the partial investment and market links that our Mindanao MSMEs and farmers have acquired in Tienda were on supply for tablea and squash pancit canton from Cabadbaran City, aromatic coconut from En Seng Food Corp., malunggay powder and herbal products from Calfamco, seafood from the BARMM, and fruits and vegetables from Mindanao B’laan Multi-Purpose Cooperative,” de Castro said. (PNA)
