Ilocos food, other products featured in Megamall fair

Metro Manilans who crave for the noted Vigan ‘longanisa’ and ‘bagnet’ don’t have to wait for their next trip up north to get hold of the distinct food delicacies.

Ilocos Sur Governor Deogracias Victor Savellano brought these and other products of his province to a mall in Mandaluyong City yesterday in a bold attempt to promote and market them.

The Megatrade hall A of SM   Megamall was over flowing with people when Ilocos Sur’s “Tawid ken Partuat” food and trade fair opened Wednesday with Romela Bengzon, the Philippines’ honorary trade ambassador to the European Union and deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson cutting the inaugural ribbon.

Apart from longanisa and bagnet, also highlighted in thE five-day fair are handwoven items called abel-Iloco, antique and newly-crafted furniture, native wines, the seasonal “ipon” fish product, and others.  

Bengzon said she would help locate markets abroad for Ilocos Sur’s ‘abel’ clothing material “and your other crafts.” She mentioned New Zealand and Australia apart from the EU as additional parts of her coverage as trade ambassador.  

As part of the promotional scheme for ‘abel’, 10 top fashion models led by Miss Earth Philippines 2007 Jeanne Harn mounted the stage placed at the center of the hall wearing various ‘abel’ attires created by Filipino designer Dita Sandico Ong . 

Savellano said that the provincial government shouldered the bill in putting out the fair without charging anything from the local product producers. “We are doing this to let others know of our products and allow our local producers the chance to get new markets for them,” he told The Star.

Steve Reyes, a commercial pilot and former Vigan resident but now based in Cebu, was looking nostalgic when The STAR chanced upon him at the trade fair Wednesday asking a producer how he can get a regular supply of longanisa.          – Teddy Molina