CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Food Processors Association of Northern Mindanao (FOPANORMIN) is set to hold the Tinagboan Festival 2024 from August 7 to 10 at the Limketkai Rotunda to celebrate and promote the region’s thriving food processing industry.
Anchored on the theme, “Unlocking the Potential: Food Processors and the Future of Functional Ingredients,” the festival will feature a trade fair, seminar, and training for MSMEs, and a lechon festival.
FOPANORMIN President Ana Marie Viscayno outlined in a press conference on Thursday, August 1, the series of activities designed to showcase innovations in food processing. She said the festival will kick off with an opening ceremony featuring Dr. Florentino Tesoro, known for the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The program aids MSMEs in adopting new technologies to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
The festival will feature a trade fair showcasing products from FOPANORMIN members, local food processors, entrepreneurs, and Negosyo Centers.
Former tourism secretary Dr. Mina Gabor will also be the guest speaker on August 8, sharing insights on the synergy between food and tourism and promoting agro-tourism.
Seminars and training on functional ingredients, artificial intelligence in the food and beverage industry, and food safety will also be conducted on August 9 and 10, including a site tour at the Northern Mindanao Food Innovation Center to showcase available equipment and services for food processors and entrepreneurs.
The festival will culminate on August 10 with a Lechon Festival, where lechon will be sold at P599 per kilo by the Association of Cagayan Lechoneros, with special freebies.
The Tinagboan Festival 2024 is organized in collaboration with the local government of Cagayan de Oro, Oro Trade and Investments Promotions Center (TIPC), Department of Agriculture-10, Department of Tourism-10, Department of Science and Technology-10, Mindanao Development Authority, and Limketkai Sons Inc.
Oro TIPC chief Jun Asuncion stated that this is the second year of partnership with FOPANORMIN. He mentioned that the Cagayan de Oro city government supports the organization due to its focus on MSMEs, pointing out that 98 percent of the over 31,000 registered businesses in the city are MSMEs.
Councilor George Goking, chairperson of the Committees on Trade & Commerce and Ways & Means, confirmed that supporting the Tinagboan Festival reflects the local government’s commitment to MSMEs. He urged the public to support these MSMEs by purchasing products at the trade fair without requesting discounts.
Goking also encouraged everyone to support local businesses by purchasing locally-made products. (APB/PIA-10)
