Kahimunan Trade Fair Archives

Nov172017 by VICMADZ1 Comment

2N – Handicrafts for All Season

Are you looking for abaca fiber bags, wallets, seminar kits, leis, trays or wall decors? 2N Handicrafts in Cagayan de Oro makes all of it. In fact, they’ve already made a following with the Local Government Units and Hineleban as one of their biggest clients. When Mrs. Luzviminda M. Valmoria’s child graduated from college in 1999, they thought of having a business. They started with a humble stall in the Cogon Market. Remember the old Cogon Market, they were there until it was reconstructed. The Valmoria family was selling native products and giveaways for all season. One time they saw a lumad walking with a hinabol. A hinabol is what they called for a weaved abaca fiber. The lumad told her that the hinabol came from the Manalog - the hinterlands of Malaybalay, Bukidnon. ...

Oct222017 by VICMADZNo Comments

Rj-Sun Tropical Herbs and Fruits’ Sweet Spot on Guyabano

Kahimunan Trade Fair

A liniment, a puree, jams, spreads and a juice with Rj-Sun Tropical Herbs and Fruits you have a lot of options to choose from. Among all the Kahimunan entrees that I have mingled with Rj-Sun was one of the most unique because of the variety of products. I talked to Rj-Sun’s main woman Jo Lozano of Dologon, Maramag, Bukidnon to get to know her story and here what I found out. Rj-Sun’s Birth The Guyabano line of product was a result of their product experimentation, observation and research. She opened up that her husband has constipation and they were looking for natural remedies. In one of their research sessions, they found out that Guyabano was anti-cancer which was 10,000x better than chemotherapy. So they tried it and it worked for her husband. She shared what they dis...

Oct142017 by VICMADZNo Comments

SHIGA: Sili sa Higaonons

Kahimunan Trade Fair

At first you’d think SHIGA is an imported product. It’s minimalist packaging is an attention-getter. Who would have thought SHIGA means Sili sa Higaonons. Take this from me: I’m a fan of SHIGA and has even sent bottles abroad to my fiancée. I spoke to Mildred Borja, SHIGA’s Marketing Manager at the recently concluded Kahimunan 2017. I bagged this chance to learn more about SHIGA. How SHIGA Started In the start of our conversation, Mildred recalled that they started with CHIGA then later changed it to SHIGA which meant “Sili sa Higaonons”. Her mother was a breast cancer survivor and was gearing towards a healthy lifestyle when they received a liter of Olive Oil. They know that it's a little pricey so they thought of putting it to good use. One day her mom went to Talakag ...

Oct102017 by VICMADZNo Comments

Jackpot on Maigo’s Jackfruit Tart!

Kahimunan Trade Fair

Next on our Kahimunan series is the jackpot story of the Maigo’s Jackfruit Tart. The municipality of Maigo in Lanao del Norte is abundant of Nangka or Jackfruit and every 27th of February, this humble town celebrates it’s Nangkaan Festiva. If you’re traveling from the west part of Mindanao to Iligan or Cagayan de Oro, for sure you’ve passed by this town and it never fails to showcase their nangka or jackfruit creation making it their OTOP or One Town One Product. RIC (Rural Improvement Club) on the Rise I’ve talked Ma’am Aileen Mendoza Liloan, she’s part of RIC Labu-ay, one of the developers of Maigo’s Jackfruit Tart. RIC means Rural Improvement Club, a non-government agency focused on uplifting the living standards in the barangay level. It’s backed up by the Department of Agricu...

Oct62017 by VICMADZNo Comments

The Humble Beginning of Erine’s Banana Chips

Kahimunan Trade Fair

Next to India, Uganda, and China, the Philippines holds the fourth producing country in the world. We are the source of 7% of the bananas in the whole wide world with around 9.2 millions of tonnes bananas exported and imported into the country. This led Reyna D. Manabat, married of 3 kids to put up her banana chips business. The brand name Erine’s came from their names Eduardo, Reyna, Ivory, Nicole, and Emilia. Reyna’s recalled starting the banana chips business on August 13 of 2015 and they were looking for a product to sell for the Kahimunan 2015 in CDO. She tells WOWCDO.com that they have over 400 banana trees on a 0.9-acre land and when one of her frustrations was selling the bananas for an affordable price so she decided to process the extra bananas to chips. From the ext...

Oct32017 by VICMADZNo Comments

Tres Marias Coffee, Island of Honey and The Beehive of Camiguin

Kahimunan Trade Fair

Raphael Lemmens of Camiguin Island found a lot of opportunities from the bees. Majority of their line of products has a connection to the bee. In fact, he owns The Beehive of Camiguin Island. Originally a manager of a leading broiler integrator in the Philippines, Raphael fell in love with the Island of Camiguin and created a small business with the use of bees. He recalled starting the Beehive Cafe for about 3 years ago, but his curiosity on coffee started 6-7 years ago thus Tres Marias Coffee was born. He had a farmer plant coffee and have to multiply it to different varieties in Camiguin. He also highlighted doing interplant in the forest. “We interplant coffee in the forest. Because it’s easy to produce organic coffee if you interplant between other trees.” Raphael Added. htt...

Sep242017 by VICMADZNo Comments

How an Acquired Skill Made OJ’s Arts and Crafts a Successful Business in Bukidnon

Kahimunan Trade Fair

It can’t be denied that the Philippines is blessed with natural resources. As one of the gems in the tropics, bamboos are almost everywhere in our country. As an OTOP and Community Training and Employment Coordinator of San Fernando, Bukidnon, Engr. Judith Esquejo Luis is exposed to tons of opportunities led by the government agencies. The humble beginning of OJ's Arts and Crafts of Bukidnon started in 2009 in a simple skills training - the bamboo crafts. Engr. Judith Esquejo Luis is proud to say that OJ's Arts and Crafts wouldn’t be profitable business without that skills that her husband has acquired from joining that training. Engr. Judith also added that the resources were readily available as her father and the family is into planting bamboo trees. She also elaborated...

Sep192017 by VICMADZ2 Comments

Ozamiz’s Best Dragon Fruit Ice Cream

Kahimunan Trade Fair

Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental are rich with the bounty of the sea and their kakanin has been a signature of the province but one thing is not clear - what’s that sweet dessert from the Gem of Panguil Bay? Johann Dagandara, owner of The Promenade and Johann’s Cuisine, took that need to an opportunity. He made the Ozamiz’s Best Dragon Fruit Ice Cream. This opportunity came as a split of the tongue when he attended Dine Philippines, a food business and tourism caravan, in Davao City. It was during their fellowship that mostly talked about dessert and they couldn’t pinpoint what’s from Ozamiz. Dragon Fruit came as one of the fruits that he’d like to try on and when he went back home he tried it. The mayor also liked the idea and supported to make Johann’s Dragon Fruit Ice Cream ...

Sep132017 by VICMADZNo Comments

It Took 3 Attempts to Make Camiguin’s Best Coco Sugar

Kahimunan Trade Fair

The words “It took me 3 attempts to get the perfect coconut sugar.” from Marcelito Navarro, the President of Guinsiliban Coconut Sugar Producers Association in Camiguin struck me. Camiguin's Best Coco Sugar has already been making the name and I’m glad they’re back in the 2017 Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair in Cagayan de Oro. I recalled buying the coco sugar in 2015 for the purpose that I see it as a good fit for my father who has diabetes. It’s now time to get to know how this humble yet proud product that grew to Camiguin’s best coconut sugar. Marcelito Navarro started to make the coconut sugar in 2012 after acquiring the technology from the Agay-ayan Multipurpose Cooperative. He recalled getting back home to Camiguin and tested processing the coconut wine to sugar grains. It...

Sep72017 by VICMADZNo Comments

Lynn’s Bottled Milkfish: Baliangao’s Bounty turned to a Business

Kahimunan Trade Fair

Misamis Occidental is not just a province full of serenity. It is also a place full of undiscovered places and potential. If you’re in MisOcc and you’re looking for a recommendation from locals on where to go, definitely Baliangao is one of their top choices. Baliangao is full of majestic white sand beaches waiting for you, but more than that-- we saw a story of bounty turned to a business opportunity worth sharing. Meet Lynn, the daughter of the owners of Lynn’s Milkfish (better known as “Bangus”) from the humble place in Baliangao, Misamis Occidental. Lynn’s Bottle Milkfish, a two-year-old business was named after herself. Over two years ago Lynn’s parents realized that growing their milkfish business is not any more profitable so they decided to make use of their resources ...