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Vigan City celebrates women's month with food, products bazaar

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) - - In celebration of Women's Month, the city government of Vigan opened its annual Women's Food and Products Bazaar featuring locally made products by 16 women-led organizations in this city.


Celerina Agcamaran, city social welfare and development officer, said the annual food bazaar is aimed at supporting and promoting local women entrepreneurs and their businesses.


It was opened on March 4 in front of the city hall and will run until March 8.


Up for sale are various handicraft decorations, food such as the famous Vigan longganisa, bagnet, and empanada, and delicacies that include rice cakes or bibingka and biko.


One of the traditional sweets produced here is the Turones de Mani, which is a small, nougat-like candy from honey and egg white mixed with crushed peanuts and wrapped in an edible wafer-like wrap.


Since 2012, the Association of Vigan City Barangay Nutrition Scholars members have been producing and marketing Turones de Mani in the city.


Brigida Dela Cruz, 48, a member of the association, said they thought it wouldn’t succeed at first but their sales continued to increase as they expanded and delivered the products in other provinces through the help of the city government.


"Our organization received the necessary capital from the city government, and they continue to support us by providing annual bazaars that serve as a platform to sell our products, among others," said Dela Cruz.

Brigida Dela Cruz holds a tub of Turones de Mani in front of their booth at the Food and Products Bazaar in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. (Photo by GIP Intern Vincent Savella)

The association distributes its products three times a week, covering Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and Abra provinces.


"This livelihood has been a great help to all of us, especially to me since it has been our source of income since my children were in elementary school and now that they're in college," she added.


Their products are sold in tubs, priced at P40 each for wholesale and P50 each for retail. She then urged consumers to buy their products to support local women entrepreneurs.


This year, the city government launched a competition for the best-decorated booth and the organization with the highest gross sales as part of its efforts to boost the local economy and encourage entrepreneurs to promote their products.

Winners will be announced on March 8. (JCR/MJTAB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)

About the Author

Joyah Mae Quimoyog

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Region 1

A writer based in the heritage province of Ilocos Sur.

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