Top government officials to open food expo

Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor, Sen. Jun Magsaysay, Undersecretaries Nelia Villafuerte, Reps. Harry Angping and Alfredo Maranon, Presidential advisers Cito Lorenzo, Ernie Ordonez and Lito Sarmiento; NFA Administrator Anthony Abad, PCA Administrator Danilo Coronacion, Quedan Guarantee Fund Board president Nelson Buenaflor and former food minister Jesus Tanchanco Sr., lead the guests in tomorrow’s opening day rites of the First Philippine Food Expo 2002 at the Megatrade Halls 1, 2 and 3 at the SM Megamall, in Mandaluyong City.

The food exhibition, scheduled Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, is sponsored by the Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization (Philfoodex) in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will showcase the best of Philippine fresh and processed food products.

The five-day exhibit aims to raise the level of awareness among Filipinos on the wide array of innovative and high-quality food products available to them; enhance the image of Filipino products in the domestic and global markets and impress on the latter that Filipino products are at par with the best in the world.

"There is so much of our food products to show and be appreciated. this exposition is a special project that will highlight the positive changes in our food and agri-aqua industries," Philfoodex president Jesus T. Tanchanco Sr. said.

Participating in the exhibit, according to Divina Sonido, chairperson of the exhibit’s participation committee, are food manufacturers and processors, suppliers of fresh fruits and vegetables, marine products, meat and poultry products, manufacturers and distributors of food ingredients and additives, suppliers of food packaging equipment and supplies, food processing equipment, food exporters, supermarkets and owners of food caterers.