Philippine food exporters return onsite at IFEX Philippines 2022

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


A multi-sensory experience awaits guests and participants as IFEX Philippines 2022, the country’s much-anticipated food trade show opens its doors at the World Trade Center Metro Manila from September 22 to 24.

Returning onsite since the pandemic, IFEX Philippines aims to showcase the best food products by local producers and manufacturers in a three-day event that includes thematic settings of distinct and innovative food and ingredients, networking and business-to-business (B2B) activities, talks and seminars, cooking demos and product presentations, special events, and more.

Expected to grace the opening of the event, either in person or via recording, are top foreign and national government officials including Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food; Sen. Imee Marcos, Vice-Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food; Undersecretary Ireneo V. Vizmonte, Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); and Assistant Secretary Glenn G. Peñaranda, OIC, Trade Promotions Group (TPG).

Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), IFEX Philippines is expected to attract around 3000 visitors and buyers, and feature thousands of top quality Filipino food products and ingredients from almost 400 exhibitors.

 



Spotlight on the crème de la crème


On its first day, IFEX Philippines will give recognition to new and innovative Filipino food products at Katha Awards for Food for 2022. Katha Awards aims to strengthen the reputation of the Philippines as a go-to destination for globally competitive food products. Katha recognizes exporters that explore new galleries of flavors, original brand ideas, unique food fusions, and creative packaging methods.

One winner from each product category will be selected for Best New Product: Beverage; Fine Food and Specialties; Marine Products; Meat and Poultry Products; Snack Foods and Crisp Savoury Products; Baked Goods; Processed Fruits and Vegetables; and Natural, Healthy, and Organic Products. IFEX Philippines will also select one winner for the Best Booth Display.



New Flavors, New Features

During the three-day event, IFEX Philippines will feature a special section called Flavor Finds, a collection of new food discoveries and innovations in the Philippine food scene. Flavor Finds will showcase products from NXTFOOD PH, CITEM’s comprehensive product development and marketing program that aims to bring innovative Philippine food products to the global market. It will also showcase new products from select exhibitors and emerging Philippine food products and ingredients with tremendous export potential–ube, plant-based food, and Philippine craft beer.

Open House, another show feature, introduces the latest programs and activities within the food sector by showcasing products from IFEX Philippines partners. It will also highlight government efforts to champion Filipino food exporters, manufacturers, and MSMEs. Programs under Open House will include the following:

● COCONUTPHILIPPINES - A showcase of coconut products from food SME exporters under CoconutPhilippines, the country branding of the most versatile food produce of the Philippines. CoconutPhilippines is presented through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) of the Philippine Coconut Authority under the Department of Agriculture.

● TASK Program ​(Technology Advice and Solutions from Korea) - A joint program by the Department of Science and Technology and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology that assists Philippine food companies in solving manufacturing issues such as product quality, production efficiency, and compliance with standards.​

● Philippine Craft Beer - Superior in quality and infused with distinct aromas and flavor profiles, the Philippine craft beer will be spotlighted in a unique booth setup with beer tasting activities. As one of the country's fast-rising industries, the craft beer industry aims to preserve the art of traditional brewery.

● RAPID Growth Program - The Rural Agro-enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) is a multibillion-peso value chain-based and market-driven business development initiative that aims to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic development for Philippine rural farming communities in the country.

● One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines - OTOP PHILIPPINES is a priority stimulus program for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises. The program enables localities and communities to develop and promote products or services that are rooted in their local culture, community resources, and competitive advantage.

● Processed Fruit and Nuts Pavilion - The Processed Fruits and Nuts (PFN) Pavilion features products from local enterprises under the Industry Cluster Enhancement Program of DTI. The cluster envisions the Philippines as a globally competitive supplier of quality processed fruits and nuts.

IFEX Philippines also has a dedicated space called the IFEX Kitchen for food-tasting activities, cooking demonstrations, and product presentations. Talks and seminars will cover topics such as sustainability in the food sector, Kosher certification, intellectual property, FDA registration, and more.

IFEX Philippines 2022 will be held in partnership with DTI-Regional Operations Group and regional offices in Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, CARAGA, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region. Other government partners include DTI - Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), DTI - Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), DTI - Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Coconut Farmers & Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), RAPID Growth Project, One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines, Department of Tourism - Tourism Promotions Board (DOT-TPB), Department of Science and Technology - Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Secret Kitchens of Samar.

Industry partners include Philippine Exporters Foundation Inc. (PHILEXPORT), Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization, Inc. (PHILFOODEX), Integrated Food Manufacturers’ Assn. of the Phils. for Productivity (INFOMAPP), Philippine Confectionery, Biscuit and Snack Association (PCBSA), Brandexports, Northridge, and Craft Beer Association of the Philippines (CBAP). IFEX Philippines has also partnered with the Technology Advice and Solutions from Korea (TASK) Program, Chapter Coffee, Philippine Wine Merchants, and Bleeding Heart Rum, as well as media organizations COOK Magazine, Business Mirror, Philippine Graphic, Pilipino Mirror, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Philippine Star.

To learn more about the event, visit IFEXConnect.com.



About CITEM

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is the export promotions arm of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

For nearly 40 years, CITEM has established the country’s image as a premier destination for quality export products and services. It continues to set the highest standards of creativity, excellence and innovation to achieve competitiveness in the home, fashion, lifestyle, food, creative, and sustainability sectors.

CITEM is committed to developing, nurturing, and promoting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), brands, designers, and manufacturers by implementing an integrated approach to export marketing in partnership with other government and private entities.



About IFEX Philippines

IFEX Philippines (formerly International Food Exhibition) is CITEM's long-running trade event and sourcing program for Philippine and global food and ingredients.

Together with IFEXConnect.com, IFEX Philippines serves as a one-stop business-to-business (B2B) platform aiming to optimize their sourcing experience of buyers from anywhere in the world.

IFEX Philippines is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions & Missions (CITEM).



Ref. Elmer Harold Grande

Email: ehgrande@citem.com.ph

Twitter: @CITEMPh

Facebook: @DTI.CITEM

Abanse Negrense! The Negros Trade Fair is back at the Glorietta Activity Center with a theme appropriately called Hidlaw

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The 36th Negros Trade Fair (NTF) welcomes all at the event that puts the spotlight on proudly Negrense products created with skilled craftsmanship. NTF has over 60 participating exhibitors all ready to boast their creations.

It's time to reconnect with each other as the 36th Negros Trade Fair: Hidlaw showcases the best of Negros food, fashion, craftsmanship, and many other products and experiences.

The theme Hidlaw is very appropriate as we do have quite a lot to catch up after the years of hiatus due to the Covid-19 or Coronavirus pandemic. Hidlaw in Hiligaynon means longing or yearning or missing.

Michael Claparols, Negros Trade Fair chairman

Nicholas Yulo, Mayor of Bago city

Alan Gensoli, Negros Season of Culture

Eugenio Jose Lacson, governor of Negros Occidental

Selfie/Groupie at the stagebif the 36th Negros Trade Fair: Hidlaw

The ringing of the bell during the opening ceremonies at the trade fair means that the Negros Trade Fair: Hidlaw is now officially open.

The 36th run of the fair, after two years of inactivity, is a highly appreciated event to help  MSMEs of the Negros province to recover, and we are so glad that the first day was a huge success because I've seen and heard a lot of booths getting flocked by customers. I'm sure the event, ongoing until the 25th  of September, will continue to be a crowd-pleaser for people, especially from Manila, really need to once again immerse themselves in quality products, and the entrepreneurs of Negros are among the finest producers of well-loved creations for both food and non-food.

Appropriately, Hidlaw is a Hiligaynon word which means "to yearn, to long, have a strong desire (for something) to long something in the past with melancholy, nostalgically. 

Stephanie Hilado Lindaya, the artist who designed the poster artwork for the event,  said she missed people flocking the booths, hearing the words " at ma tahum!", "namit-namit gid ya!", and "nahidlaw gid ko sang inasal" . For most Negrenses in Manila, it's a homecoming!

It's about time we bring back the glorious days! Abanse Negrense!

Congratulations to the organizers, Association of Negros Producers and the provincial government of Negros Occidental, of the 36th Negros trade fair.

Be part of the longest-running provincial trade fair happening this September 20-25 at Glorietta Activity Center in Makati city.

Check out more photos and videos, including interviews and features of organizers, exhibitors and VIP guests at our official Facebook page at Wazzup Pilipinas - https://www.Facebook.com/WazzupPilipinas

What are the best gadgets for playing?

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

If you like playing games, you are certainly not the only one. Games have entertained people pretty much always, and they keep on doing so year after year. This is also possible because playing games keeps on changing. In the past, people played games with board games, whereas now we tend to use different gadgets for it.

But what are the best ones? This depends a lot on what kind of games you wish to play. For example, if you are interested in online betting Philippines, you will use a different gadget than video game fans. For this article, we have focused on gadgets, that most people have already at home.

Some computers are better than others for playing

Playing on a computer is very popular and common amongst all kinds of people. This is because computer playing offers many different possibilities. You can use it to access the internet to open different gaming sites. Additionally, you can also download some games directly to your computer to start playing.

If you are interested in computer gaming, you should know that different computers are better than others for this activity. For example, Apple’s MAC computers are not the best for gaming. You can see this especially when it comes to games you need to download to your computer. Some of them are not even possible to be downloaded for your Mac.


Phones are becoming higher quality each year

Another gadget, that you probably have already and that is great for playing games is a smartphone. Most people have smartphones and they are easy and fast to use for gaming.

As long as you have a new smartphone, there is not really a difference in which one is the best one for gaming. You can simply go to your phone’s app store and download any fun game you would wish to play. Then you can start having fun whenever you want, where ever you are.



What does the future look like?

The technology keeps on getting more advanced, which opens more new possibilities for gaming with gadgets. It will be interesting to see, what we will use in the future for gaming.

Maybe it will be smartwatches, which have become increasingly popular in the last few years. Or possibly people will start to use VR technology to get a more immersive experience. This is impossible to predict, but it will certainly be interesting to see.