ALFONSO LISTA, IFUGAO – -From mini-food fairs in this major farming town of Ifugao, Alfonso Lista entrepreneurs are set to join the big league at a crowd-drawing trade fair and exhibition at Robinson’s Santiago in Santiago City, Isabela.
Leading businessowners of Alfonso Lista are scheduled to display and sell their world-class produce at the forthcoming One Town, One Product (OTOP) trade fair and exhibition at the popular mall. Among the notable participants is Blessings Dragon Fruit Products owned by Editha Paculor of Barangay Busilac.
Paculor is known for her pleasant ways in selling her products. She always considers the needs and wants of the consumer. Her products are superbly packaged and affordably priced. Blessings Dragon Fruit Jam shall make a name for itself not just in the Philippines, but in many Southeast Asian countries.
Dragon fruit is a major cash-crop of Alfonso Lista.
Alfonso Lista, a third-class municipality of the province’s second district, is also known as the “corn granary” of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Alfonso Lista, adjudged as one of the CAR’s most competitive towns in terms of economic dynamism by the National Competitiveness Council, is on its way of attaining more headways in the business field.
Earnings of the country’s most competitive towns are quite substantial. The income posted by a town is closely monitored. There are 1,428 towns in the country.
Marked improvement of business and commercial activities has been attributed to the all-out support of Mayor Edralin Alipio and Vice Mayor Agapito Dominguez Jr.
In this case, Alfonso Lista’s agri-business owners are key growth drivers.
Expected to join Ms. Paculor is Roslyn Montoya, an entrepreneur of Barangay Pinto. She is also engaged in organic vegetable farming.
Other key stall exhibitors/owners are Aurelia Bonales (processed food), Mercy Tuccat (Ga’ddang loom, attire and accessories), Joy Galapon (boneless tilapia), NAFWA and MABANOR.
The trade fair and exhibition will start on March 1. Pinto National High School students are also slated to perform a Ga’ddang ritual number during the opening rites. It shall showcase the cultural heritage of the province.
This is the third time Alfonso Lista is taking part in the popular trade fair and exhibition. Other key exhibitors are from other towns in northern Luzon.
‘’We hope to revolutionize local approached to production, marketing and promotion of farm goods not just in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao province and the Cordilleras, but throughout the country,” Paculor told the ZigZag Weekly.
‘’And so, this is a very good opportunity to showcase our products to the public, most especially to consumers in the Cagayan Valley Region,’’ she added.
Is dragon fruit wine your thing? Discover the world-class quality of these dragon fruit wines at the said trade fair and exhibition.
Blessings Dragon Fruit wines are at par with well-known wines in China, Japan and many other countries.
Along with business owners from Banaue and Lagawe towns, both in Ifugao, Alfonso Lista exhibitors are truly honored to take the responsibility of showcasing high-quality wares of this upland Cordillera province. Moreover, Hungduan entrepreneurs reportedly expressed their interest of joining them.
More often than not, most people think of woodcarving products from Ifugao during trade fairs and exhibitions outside of the province. Not this time around.
Aside from boosting their incomes, the trade fair and exhibition shall strengthen the sense of pride of business owners and confidence to reach out a bigger market.
Over the years, Ifugao entrepreneurs are only tapping a very limited market base thus, earnings are quite small.
It is important that the provincial and municipal governments as well as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provide the much-needed support to the men and women of Alfonso Lista’s micro, small-to-medium enterprises (MSMEs) and all others in the Ifugao contingent to the said event.
Previously, the provincial government extended ample support to them. This time around, it is reportedly only giving the Ifugao exhibitors gasoline allowances. Taking part in the seven-day event entails huge expenses. Booth space rental fee is Php 2,500. Other fees include Php 560 for janitorial fee, Php 450 for security fee, Php 360 for electricity fee and other tax payments.
These MSMEs are undoubtedly the province’s business lifeline or main drivers of its economy. There is no more appropriate barometer to assert their dominant role in society than the fact that MSMEs are located in every corner of a barangay- from sari-sari store to an internet café. In truth, folks still purchase their essential goods such as noodles, sardines, eggs and biscuits at the so-called “poor man’s” store in the village and not in the mall or supermarket. Yet, ironically, so many of those who walk in the corridors of power at the provincial government still think and behave in the same old ways of ignoring their plight.
Still, many of the Ifugao exhibitors are mindful of the thoughtfulness of some of their officials. For one, Alfonso Lista exhibitors are looking forward to the kindheartedness of Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano. Prudenciano served as mayor of Alfonso Lista for several years.
Finding a right product for an undertaking as this one is one of the hardest things to do- what more if you don’t have a large amount of money to pay for the aforementioned fees? Aside from praying for a miracle to happen, one may end up incurring another debt.
It is not easy to participate in an event of this magnitude considering the lower consumer demand just after the holiday and harvest seasons as well as decline in sales and orders.
The province’s progress is the primary goal of the Ifugao exhibitors. So why are they underfunded? They shall surely draw a significant level of interest during the event and if the provincial government is not manifesting any sign of generosity to them it could be lights out for all these opportunities.
So what can they do in the Big League? A lot!
Since Alfonso Lista exhibitors are focused on promoting agri-based products, they are invariably enlightening the public to buy products from the local market. Doing so means a lot of consumers, particularly the shoppers at the trade fair and exhibition, are buying straight from the farmers.
Ultimately, this event will accelerate the production of high-quality goods in a highly competitive, fast-paced trade and commerce in this part of the country.
It is high time for Ifugao’s MSMEs to level up. Going to the Big League is a must-thing for them, way beyond enlisting in poorly-formatted trade fairs of the Gotad and Kulpi festivities, is the best thing to do for them to be globally competitive.
In many instances, it is simply unthinkable and amusing to see a booth or two at the Kulpi with top-quality products side-by-side with a booth selling fish ball, kikiam and halo-halo. As a result, Ifugao MSMEs are to be re-educated that there’s indeed a new direction to grow and expand toward means they are financially rewarded significantly.
At the very least, the “success story” of Alfonso Lista entrepreneurs is worth using to see how this town compares to the other ten municipalities.
Ms. Paculor’s story of inspiration and success is surely worth telling and retelling to many other entrepreneurs in Ifugao and the CAR. Needless to point out the glaring fact that there’s a reason behind everything- and it’s always because the Almighty Creator has something better and brighter in store. **By Anthony A. Araos
