19th Coconut Week rites set at Megamall

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is spearheading this year’s celebration of the 19thNational Coconut Week with various events, business activities, demos and for a packing the 4th National Coconut Festival to be held at SM Megatrade Hall 1, 5th Floor, Building B SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City from Aug. 25 to 29.

The country celebrates National Coconut Week on Aug. 24 to 30 of each year pursuant to Proclamation 142 issued by then President Corazon C. Aquino. August is when coconuts bear most fruits and appear most lush due to the rains.

"The festival aims to showcase the versatility of the coconut through the different coconut products from the various parts of the coconut being produced by local processors, and fostering producers and markets link-up" PCA Administrator Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras explained. He said the activity also aims to give prospective investors and the public in general a closer look at the potentials of coconut business.

Paras said activities lined up include a product exhibit, launching of "coco pandesal" for the national feeding program, cooking demo by the Center for Culinary Arts, seminars-demo on the production of virgin coconut oil, cocoburger, coconut kropeck, coco flour and bath soap and also for other emerging coconut products like geo-textiles, biologs and coir dust for bio-gineering and landscaping and a lecture on wellness by columnist Cory Quirino.

This year’s theme – ‘Niyog: Kayamanan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan’ summarizes what the coconut can offer, Paras said.

For particulars, call Maribel N. Sahagun (tel. 928-1073) and Elizabeth Montecillo (tel. 926-2281).