Malasiqui declares itself “Malunggay Capital”
MALASIQUI—This agricultural town, one of the biggest in the province in terms of land area and population, has claimed the title “Malunggay Capital of Pangasinan”.
The declaration, made through an ordinance passed last week by the municipal government, is in line with the national government’s “One Town, One Product” program and intends to make a distinct character for this municipality.
Malunggay is called the “miracle plant” because of its commercial, nutritional and medicinal uses.
Under the ordinance, the municipal government will appropriate in its annual budget P200,000 for the current year and P100,000 for the next four consecutive years for the propagation of malunggay.
“With its continuous propagation, it is expected that in few years to come, malunggay trees here will not only be used as food but also for commercial and medicinal uses, thus making the town recognized as producer of malunggay and malunggay by-products as a means of achieving economic progress,” the ordinance states.
Councilor Canuto Mendoza, author of the ordinance, also pointed out that in the same way those others towns and a city in Pangasinan are known for their distinct products — like Dagupan for bangus, Villasis for talong, and Sto. Tomas for corn, among others — Malasiqui would also do well to establish its own identifying product.
As part of the plan, the town will soon launch its Malunggay Festival wherein, among other activities, various barangays will compete for the “Most Outstanding Barangay for the Production of Malunggay Trees”.
Mendoza said once the project is implemented, malunggay trees will be planted along the roads.
Felipe Andrada of the Department of Science and Technology said Malasiqui’s program holds huge potential as there are already several products such as noodles, ice cream, cake, and bread developed in other towns using malunggay as a main ingredient.#
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