LAOAG CITY, Nov. 11 — Come and buy the best of Ilocandia products at the trade fair in Ilocos Norte Shell craft from the artisans of Pagudpud. Table runners, shawl, blankets, barong tagalog made of Abel fabric from the loomweavers of Paoay. Damili or clay pots from San Nicolas. Fruit wines from the mountains of Adams. Mouth-watering longganiza and empanada from Batac. Crispy-licious chicharon or bagnet from San Nicolas. Native kakanin from Currimao.
These are just some of the products showcasing Ilocano pride being sold at the 16th “Sagut ni Ilokano,” Partuat ti Kalokuan Trade Fair 2011 at the Ilocano Heroes Hall in Laoag City.
The trade fair is spearheaded by the Partuat ti Kailokuan, an organization of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in the province, in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, Laoag City Government and the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte.
According to Norbel Dolores of the DTI, the fair aims to promote the One Town, One Product (OTOP) of the different towns and develop markets for the products of the MSMEs.
“This is also to uphold and promote local products,” Dolores said.
Aside from the OTOPs, there are other products from other provinces of Region 1 and the Cordillera Administrative Region at the trade fair.
Some of these are the sweet puto calasiao and kutsinta from Pangasinan; furniture from Ilocos Sur; knitted garments, wooden crafts and leather goods from CAR; wooden wellcrafts from Bauang, La Union.
There are also ornamental plants and flowers being featured at the trade fair. A big pot of Poinsettias in time for the holidays, for example, cost P250 while decorative cactus cost much less.
If, however, one gets tired of shopping, one can sit down to a delicious empanada, longganiza, igado, miki and other native foods at food kiosks at the trade fair.
The trade fair is open from 9 am to 8 pm and will run until November 18, 2011. (ANL/PC-PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)
