DTI Praises Guicos for Ushering P’nan Goods for World Market

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

WORLD TRADE CENTER, Pasay City – An official of the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) lauded Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III and his mother Arlyn Guico for ushering businessmen to join the International Food Expo (IFEX) held here recently.

“I’m very thankful to the provincial government to Governor Monmon Guico, siyempre si Maam Arllyn Guico and the rest of the provincial government na fully supported iyong ating activity,” Provincial Director Natalie B. Dalaten of the DTI - Pangasinan told reporters.

VAUNTED Pangasinan products being displayed at the booth of the province in the three-day International Food Expo (IFEX) held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

With the help of entrepreneur Rosemarie Oamil, the chief executive officer of luxury brand Mele + Marie, Mrs. Guico established in October 19-21, 2023 here the Artisan Empowerment Association, which equips budding artisans and entrepreneurs with capacity-building resources like mentorship and training programs. Mrs. Guico tapped 10 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their world-class “Made in Pangasinan” products at the World Trade Center.

 Dalaten said as a first time participant of the IFEX for 2024, Pangasinan vaunted products have been given exposure to hit the world market.

“Yes. If naalaala niyo iyong ibang noong exporters notice if all started here”.

One of the advantages of participating in the IFEX, according to Dalaten, the traders are listed in the roster of suppliers in the international markets. The other was the business-to-business (B to B) meeting to importers who were in attendance on the three days’ exhibitions.

IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products.

Since its inception originally as the Asian Ethnic Food Festival from 1999 to 2003, the body has provided B-to-B platform for local and international food companies to discover new markets, launch new products, and transact with the biggest importers in various parts of the world.

Photo credit: IFEX

The requirements needed for businessmen to join the IFEX, one is a single proprietorship, partnership, or a corporation. It needs to register like in the Security Exchange of Commission if one is a corporation, needs a license to operate, and a certificate of product registration (CPR).

Mostly, the CPR is applied at the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).

Roan Rosario - President of Freshious Aquaculture and Food Products based in Binmaley, Pangasinan - said before the provincial government of Pangasinan joined the IFEX, she and businessmen in the province joined through the auspices of the DTI.

“We joined sa DTI before not under Pangasinan,” said to Northern Watch Newspaper by Freshious Vice President Steven Rosario – the husband of Roan.

Her husband said that they have four varieties of bangus products but they brought here their fully cooked ready- to-eat milkfish and their tinapang bangus

”You can eat it straight from the pack. Milk fish steak chips para siyang jerky – di ba pag beef jerky ito this is our milkfish jerky,” Roan told this writer about their ready to eat vacuum sealed milkfish.

The husband said the comparative advantage of the Pangasinan bangus competing in the world market is its inherently tastiest trait.

Evely Co, the owner of Huyang Food, said that despite her and her husband three years old Dagupan City based company, their milkfish products could be seen displayed at Robinsons branches all over the country, Market Places, and Royal Duty Free Shop, they still aspire to penetrate the world market,

Huyang employed as of this moment 10-20 workers mostly from Dagupan City.

According to Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Melicio F. Patague II – who represented the governor – Pangasinan showcased this year here ten homegrown products which are pride of its people.

“This is just the beginning of the great era of Pangasinan for food industry,” he disclosed to reporters.

Under Governor Guico, Patague stressed, MSMEs would be vigorously supported to make them competitive and formidable.

Dalaten said that the DTI hoped to see more exhibitors to join next year in the Pangasinan booth at the center here.