SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The provincial government of La Union kicked off its annual "SAluad La Union para Serbisio, Agri-Turismo Lako ken Oportunidad (SALU SALO)" agri-tourism trade fair on Friday, Mar. 1, at the Mabanag Justice Hall.
The event coincides with the Ayat Festival 2024, held in celebration of La Union's 174th founding anniversary.
SALU SALO showcases diverse agricultural products from across the province's various local government units (LGUs), aiming to boost both local tourism and the agricultural sector.
Governor Raphaelle Veronica "Rafy" Ortega-David, present at the opening ceremony, emphasized the province's vision to be the "Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon" by 2025.
“With only a year left, to transform this vision into a reality, malayo pa pero syempre sobrang nakalayo na rin po tayo. At konti na lang, makakamit na po natin ito dahil sa patuloy ninyong pakikipag-La Union probinsyanihan,” Ortega-David said.
(With only a year remaining, we have made significant progress towards this vision, thanks to the continued cooperation of La Union residents. Together, we will achieve this goal soon.)
The SALU SALO trade fair has become a cornerstone event during La Union's founding anniversary celebrations, enjoyed by both locals and visitors.
La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica "Rafy" Ortega-David (second from left) leads the ribbon cutting of the "SAluad La Union para Serbisio, Agri-Turismo Lako ken Oportunidad (SALU SALO)" agri-tourism trade fair on Friday, Mar. 1, at the Mabanag Justice Hall alongside Provincial Board Member Pablo Ortega (first from left), DTI La Union Provincial Director Merlie Membrere (third from right), PIA Region 1 Regional Director Jennilyne Role (second from right), and Mr. Ramon Peralta, Chief of Staff of La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega, V. (rightmost),
Various eye-catching booths showcase products and promote tourism attractions from each participating LGU.
Among the unique offerings is honey from Bacnotan, carabao milk from Rosario, binangkal (rice cake) from Santol, soft brooms from Burgos, sea urchin from Balaoan, and coffee from Bagulin.
Eden Joy Oriente, tourism officer of Santol, expressed gratitude to the provincial government for providing the platform to showcase their town's offerings.
She highlighted the importance of the trade fair for promoting local products, benefiting both the economy and the town's farmers.
“Importante sa amin, lalo na sa mga farmers namin, para maipakita ang product namin sa Santol. Kasi usually wala kaming bulk buyers, lalabas pa ng Santol ‘yong mga products namin. Ang gusto lang namin, ipinapakita namin ‘yong products namin para ‘yong malalaking buyers papasok na lang sa town namin,” Oriente said.
(This is crucial for our farmers as they rarely connect with bulk buyers. By showcasing our products here, we hope to attract larger buyers to our town.)
The SALU SALO Agri-Tourism Trade Fair is open to the public until March 15, offering visitors a chance to experience the rich agricultural landscape and diverse tourism offerings of La Union. (JCR/AMB/REB/MJTV/PIA Region 1)
