Tubod, Lanao del Norte—The province of Lanao del Norte boosts not only its vast arable agricultural lands but also of mouth-watering delicacies concocted in culture, tradition and modern technologies.

            The abundance of agricultural raw materials enticed the enterprising spirit of the people in this province to convert these raw materials into processed food products.

            Thus, in the opening of the week-long charter celebration of the province, the Agri-Aqua Livestock and OTOP (One Town, One Product) Fair has been an eye catcher for visitors and guests to gaze and taste on the products and processed foods displayed at various booths.

Ruel B. Paclipan, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Iligan City/Lanao del Norte Provincial Office said the OTOP Booth is designed as an informational booth portraying the town’s product with samples for testing and products for sale.

            “We tapped around 17 OTOP producers to join the product display, and we came up with the selection of top three OTOP SMEs (Small Medium Entrepreneurs) based on category on the Most Improved Products,” said Paclipan.

The MunARC “Palapa” surpassed as top most improved product in the town of Munai, this province.

The villagers of Munai have been identified as Agrarian Reform Community (ARC), a project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). They grouped themselves into Munai Palapa Producers Association.

            “Palapa” is made from local spices such as shallots, ginger, pepper and coconut milk expertly formulated by the Maranaos.  The ‘palapa’ either in raw or original recipe and “tiolo a niyog” which suit not only the taste of our Muslim community but also appeals to the discriminating taste of all other consumers.

            While the mouth-watering processed fish—the Sultan Sardines and boneless ‘danggit’ from the Sultan Naga Dimaporo town made it to the 2nd place. The NAMANGKA Multi-Purpose Cooperative has been producing the Sardines in Corn Oil and the Dried Boneless Danggit.

            The refreshing calamansi juice—O’Lala and Honeymansi in the town of Lala capped the 3rd place. This is a calamansi concentrate, calamansi ready-to-drink produced by the Pinuyak Farmers Multi Purpose Cooperative.

            Prizes at stake were in a form of packaging and labeling materials (depending on the submission of proposals to enhance their products) amounting P25,000, P20,000, and P15,000, for the 1st , 2nd and 3rd placers, respectively, disclosed Paclipan.

            Other food products available under the OTOP are the cold-processed virgin coconut oil and the tasty “buko pie” in Linamon;  various processed peanuts delicacies (sospero de mani, peanut butter, spicy peanuts, salted peanuts, sugar-coated peanuts, piniato and many others) in Kauswagan;  the delicious jackfruit delicacies of Maigo;  the nutritious processed banana products (banana chips and banana catsup) in Tubod, and the Maranao delicacies—the delectable “dodol” of Balo-i, made from selected highland glutinous rice mixed with the delicious “kakang-gata” from matured coconuts sweetened to taste and seasoned with tropical fruits such as durian or jackfruit, nutritiously good for selective taste buds.

            Such Maranao delicacies include “tiyateg,” “browa,” “amec,” “mammon” and many others depicting the traditional culinary expertise of the Maranao tribe.

            All participating OTOP booths received a consolation prize of Php500.00.

            No less than the dynamic chief executive of this province, Gov. Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo awarded the prizes, assisted by Dir. Alicia V. Euseńa, DTI, region 10, said Paclipan.  (LVG/ PIA-LDN)