Provincial Agriculturist Unveils LU’s Vinegar Center
By: Vanessa C. Badua, GPC-OPAG | Photos By: GPC-OPAG | Date: January 28, 2021
CEREMONIAL TURN OVER. On behalf of Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III, Provincial Agriculturist Col. Ramon F. Laudencia, and Municipal Agriculturist Office-Municipality of Bacnotan Dr. Grace Apigo hand over a symbolic key to Mr. Romeo Austria, President of Galongen-Maragayap Farmers Association during the Blessing and Turning over Ceremony of the Vinegar Processing Center at Barangay Maragayap, Bacnotan, La Union on January 28, 2021. The tourism/ learning center will serve as processing center for sugarcane to produce vinegar for the province and for export.
Provincial Agriculturist Col. Ramon F. Laudencia led the formal opening and turning over ceremonies of the province’s first Vinegar Processing Center (VPC) on January 28, 2021 at Barangay Maragayap, Bacnotan, La Union.
A rural-based livelihood booster in the area, the project was funded by the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) headed by Governor Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III by virtue of Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution allocating Php2,500,000 sourced out from the FY 2016 Shares of Republic Act 7171 or better known as Excise Tax on Locally Manufactured Virginia Tobacco.
The facility, which is considered as a Tourism/Learning Site, shall serve as the key corridor for sugarcane producing villages in Bacnotan town to process raw products (sugarcane) in order to command a higher price in the market.
The VPC was turned-over by the PGLU to the Galongen-Maragayap Farmers Assocation which is tasked to maintain and ensure its operational sustainability and management under the close watch of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
