You don’t have to wait for your next trip to Ilocos to get hold of these popular food delicacies from the north. Pretty soon, they will be accessible in a government office in Quezon City which has taken over the management of the Ilocos Sur-based Multiline Food Processing Plant.
This was learned from Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion of the National Tobacco Admnistration (NTA) who announced that the plant will resume full blast commercial operation soon.
Multiline, which is owned by the provincial government, used to process the noted Vigan longganiza, bagnet and other food items before it stopped operating due to alleged mismanagement.
Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, citing mismanagement by its former handlers, tasked NTA and the Department of Agriculture with the renewed operation of the huge plant. President Arroyo pledged her support to Multiline’s reactivation when she came here during the birthday celebration of the governor last June 21.
The reactivation of the plant was made more necessary in light of the envisioned mega region for the northern provinces known as Northern Luzon growth agribusiness quadrangle extending from Regions I and 2 and CAR to Aurora and Nueva Ecija.
To sustain the operation of the food processing plant which is located in Santa town, NTA has initiated a hog and poultry raising program involving tobacco farmers and their families.The program covers the four provinces of Region l– Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Pangasinan.
Up to 360 piglets are set for distribution to farmer-raisers in Ilocos Sur through their cooperatives on Sept. 20 while three other cooperatives in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur will get their supply of 6,000 chicks.
Complementing the raising of pigs and chicken, the farmers would also go into extensive corn production to be turned into feeds by Multiline’s feedmill plant facility, it was learned.
Dr. Robert Bonoan, NTA farm development department manager, said corn planting, set to start Sept. 13, will initially involve 120 hectares of farmlands throughout the Ilocos region.
On the swine and poultry program, Bonoan said the agency will expand to the other Ilocos provinces when NTA will have a full view of the demands of the market after the Sept. 20 operation of Multiline.
Aside from longganiza and bagnet, the Multiline plant’s output will include luncheon meat, dressed whole chicken, choice chicken parts, banana chips, and canned fruit juices. Fresh vegetables from the farmers have also been added among Multiline products.
Under the memorandum of agreement signed by Singson, Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban, Encarnacion and president Carlos Cachola of the Philippine Association of Tobacco Based-Cooperatives, the tobacco farmers will provide the raw materials for Multiline’s operations.