Mangaldan to Develop World-Class Beef Tapa

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGALDAN – If neighboring Dagupan City gears to export its delectable bangus (milk fish) in the United States, this town positions itself to develop its sumptuous tapa (cured beef) into a Macau-inspired jerky beef not only for the local market but abroad.

JERKY BEEF FOR MANGALDAN -This online photo grab of jerky beef in Macau, China would be emulated by the municipality of Mangaldan, Pangasinan as an improved version of the town’s tapa (cured beef) industry. Shops of jerky beef are ubiquitous in Macau. It is one of the tourism draws of the autonomous region. Mangaldan Mayor Bona Fe de Vera-Parayno said she plans to export someday its manufactured jerky beef. 

Mayor Bona Fe de Vera-Parayno said to make the local tapa industry here world class, she and the municipal officials here went for a four-day tour, at their own expense, in Macau, China to observe primarily the production of the cured beef there.
“Nakita namin how it was done. Lahat free taste sa lahat ng tao, sik-sikan, at talagang patronize iyang beef jerkey. Sabi ko para maka-lunch (Mangaldan) get natin video para sa tapa natin. Beef jerky is popular to youngsters there,” she stressed.
Beef jerkey, according to Parayno, is a ready to eat dry cured beef in spicy, teriyaki, or original flavor.
She added even inside the airplane most of the passengers have been carrying a box or boxes of jerky beef.
“Marami pumupunta sa Macao because of tourism and one of the draw there is beef jerky”.
She said that in this town’s coming fiesta, a modified jerky would be launched as value added tapa.

This town was a recipient of an almost P1 million meat processing equipment donated late last year to the municipality under the Shared Services Facility  program of the Department of Trade and Industry.

 “Gusto ko may new beef jerky. Outward looking tayo, business entrepreneurship. Kailangan treat natin (programs) municipio as business”
She cited the loaned funds of Phase I and Phase II of the public market as example of an income generating projects.
“Ang pag uutang is hindi masama. P40 million (approved) na loan ( for Phase II public market) is income generating through lease, stalls. They took care of the amortization of the loan. Hindi na magagalaw ang pondo ng municipio. Advantage iyan sa atin,” the mayor explained.