BATANES — The 2023 Provincial Fair, held annually to coincide with the celebration of the Batanes’ Founding Anniversary, generated 5.6 million pesos in cash sales. This year’s fair is the biggest ever in terms of sales generated and the number of participating MSMEs/business establishments.
The 240th Founding Anniversary of the Province of Batanes was dubbed Vunung Festival and carried the theme “Moving Forward through the Ivatan Culture of Sharing.” The exhibitors incorporated the theme into their setting, display, and services. Thus, one can buy takoyaki luñis (Ivatan version of adobo), pizza luñis, pizza arayu (Ivatan term for dolphin fish, a dried fish delicacy), and the Spanish-style bottled dibang (flying fish) products of Uyugan and Ivana. On the other hand, exhibitors like Simsiman Arts and Crafts had on display and for sale various clothing and accessories made from the woven cloth called tinon of Batanes. At the LGU booths were the fresh produce and OTOP of each of the six municipalities and the different product lines of each OTOP. There was dried “arayu” fish with prices ranging from 800 pesos to about 2,500 pesos in the LGU booths, raw and processed wakay (sweet potatoes) that included flour, chips, cookies, lengua de wakay, and other goodies. Bananas, Pineapples, chayi (local lychee), millet, dragon fruit, papaya plus fresh vegetables, and root crops like ubi, dukay, and gabi. Garlic and turmeric were plentiful.
105 participating MSMEs from the creative (2), food service establishments and processors (78), handicraft (4), Dry goods (12), agri/plants (8), and services (1) sectors joined this year’s Provincial Fair which ran from June 20 to July 2, 2023. The event is a collaborative undertaking of DTI R2 Batanes and the Provincial Government of Batanes which aims to provide MSMEs a venue to promote and market their products and services. Another objective of this activity is to allow the MSMEs to increase their sales and recover from the business slowdown caused by the two-year pandemic.
Date of release: 03 July 2023
