LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PIA) – The month-long celebration of Strawberry Festival 2023 has started with the opening of the Strawberry Lane and Agro-Fair at the municipal grounds on Monday, March 6.
Mayor Romeo Salda and Benguet State University President Felipe Comila led the ribbon cutting. Joining them were Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan, the municipal councilors, Department of Trade and Industry Baguio-Benguet Provincial Director Samuel Gallardo, Dept. of Science and Technology -Benguet Provincial Director Sheila Marie Singa-Claver and representatives from other government agencies and offices.
Anchored on the theme, “A Festival for Recovery: Building a Brighter Future from Adversities”, the fair features products of 22 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and four bakers in the municipality to help them recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Products include fresh strawberries, jams, wines, cakes, among others.
“We would like to congratulate all the MSMEs who have produced their strawberry by products. And of course, we would like to thank the different agencies, the DTI and DOLE who have trained a lot of our MSMEs to produce by products of strawberry,” Salda said. He also thanked all the concerned committees and stakeholders who contributed in the successful opening of the festivity.
The fair will run until March 31, 2023.
Entrepreneur Anie Lyn Tiongan expressed her gratitude to the La Trinidad LGU for giving them the opportunity to display and sell their products in the Strawberry Lane. She said this serves as an avenue for them to recover from the effects of the pandemic and tropical cyclones in the past two years.
“Agyamyaman kami iti LGU ti La Trinidad ta adda manen daytoy nga pribilehiyo kadakami nga MSME nga aglako kadagitoy nga strawberry,” Tiongan said.
Salda invited the public to join and participate in the various activities lined up for the festival.
“(We) hope and pray that it will be well attended. We would like also to invite all the stakeholders, other regions, provinces and other municipalities,” he said.
Highlights of the festival are on March 17 with the civic parade and multi-cultural celebrations, and on March 18 where featured activities include the drum and lyre, street dancing and small floats parade. The twin strawberry cake will also take center stage on March 18. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
