Illustration by Dencel Reymar Evardone
Every delectable goods shown and purchased became the embodiment and the very essence of this year’s Kadiwa Trade Fair not because it greatly affected sales, but it represented such an important part of who we are as Filipinos and Taclobanons, moving towards an innovative approach all while preserving the culture and spirit of our community, creating a bountiful of opportunities for all of our local enterprises.
The Kadiwa Trade Fair, also known as the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo,” has been a running hub since 2016. It began as one of the initiatives of our Philippine Government under the Department of Agriculture, allowing our local farmers and local businesses to directly sell their produce to consumers. Now, it’s an event for different regions in the Philippines most especially here at Eastern Visayas State University(EVSU)-Main Campus as a part of its 119th Founding Anniversary and the Sports, Culture and the Arts Festival # SIKLAB 2026, available throughout February 23-27.
Carmelita Ojeda, the main producer for the Garmel Goods Products, describes that many varieties of their products, including their famous local desserts: banana chips and kamote chips and their special delicacies, Suman Latik and Moron, became the favorites of the customers. Cooked in a traditional style and elevated by using other ingredients such as cheese, chocolate, and nuts, this innovative take took on the stage of the Kadiwa Trade Fair, leading to the prosperity of its business.
Making up the sweetness of success, Mrs. Ojeda emphasized how even for a short period of time, the Kadiwa had an enormous impact in increasing their sales as a business, ultimately giving a helping hand to the efforts of the hardworking local farmers who have outsourced the raw materials of their products.
“Kun waray local farmers, waray namon raw materials. So, from local farmers, to producers, to consumers. Connected talaga silang lahat,” Mrs. Ojeda expressed, showing her love and appreciation not just because of their goods, but for making everything their business stand for possible.
Furthermore, for Georgina Orbeta,a faculty staff from the Ormoc campus who exhibited a renewed partnership with the Camp Downes Homebased Women’s Association and the Cabaon-an Community Farmers Association, emphasized on what made their products and delicacies special is not just the ingredients and materials that were used, and the local farmers who supplied it to them, but also with the biggest contribution from their fellow workers consisting of women and mothers from Ormoc.
“The members of these associations are actually mothers and women who have no regular jobs, so that makes it something unique.”
Being able to run these two partnerships in manufacturing beverages like black rice coffee and 5-in-1 tea that has healthy and healing benefits gives them the chance to touch other people’s lives by not only giving them working jobs but also letting them be able provide for themselves and for each of their families.
Purchasing from these trading fairs both helps the local economy and at the same time helps in continuing their mission in providing for those in need, it makes their efforts recognized and worthwhile to hold on to.
A fair to not only show famous and delicious delectables of our local businesses but a fair full of delicacies of our people, it reminds us on how each of our purchases and generous spirits to help people can significantly affect each of our lives greatly, giving us not only a community but also a purpose and the ability to learn more about the potential of our own culture.
Article by Ann Adona