MSME BOOST. Some of the micro, small and medium enterprises that regularly join the producer-to-consumer program in Ilocos Norte province. Negotiations are ongoing for its expansion to Siargao, the country's top surfing destination. (File photo by Leilanie Adriano)
LAOAG CITY – The province of Ilocos Norte will expand its producer-to-consumer (P2C) program in Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte province.
Ilocos Norte vice governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos confirmed this in a media interview on Wednesday, as talks are ongoing for the formulation of a sisterhood agreement with Siargao through mayor Sol Matugas of General Luna town.
Known as the famous surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao farmers have declined over the years as they shifted to driving tourist vans, which give them immediate return unlike farming that requires more patience to wait until harvest time, she said.
As this developed, Marcos said farmer-producers and processors from Ilocos Norte can take advantage of this opportunity to sell their products directly to Siargao through the P2C program, and achieve success just like the program’s implementation in Quezon City and the City of San Juan in Metro Manila.
“We can supply our agricultural products to them because most of their food supply are imported to Siargao. This will benefit our farmers if this pushes through,” Araneta-Marcos said.
Ilocos Norte’s P2C program was conceptualized to protect consumers by providing direct access to farm commodities and provide better economic opportunities to micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs).
Since its launch in 2017, over 70 accredited farm producers and entrepreneurs from Ilocos Norte continue to benefit from the monthly conduct of the P2C program in Quezon City and San Juan.
From an average of PHP500,000, gross sales under P2C reached PHP1.2 million during a three-day sale of the province’s products in Quezon City and San Juan, according to Elma Gabriel, head of the provincial government's MSME office.
The P2C program is conducted every month and a pre-order service was also initiated to better manage the transport of products, which include fresh fruits and vegetables, Ilocos vinegar, bagnet, longganisa, and empanada, among others.
Last July, a presidential recognition was awarded to the provincial government for its P2C program, providing and improving access to market.(PNA)
