Gov. Angelina Tan, Governor of Quezon; Sen. Imee Marcos, alongside Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, Program Head and provincial government officials, during the Quezon Coconut Industry Roadmap presentation.
LUCENA CITY, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Provincial Office of Quezon through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Quezon, hosted the inaugural Quezon Lambanog Summit on 14 August 2024 at the Quezon Convention Center, Lucena City, Quezon. The summit, a significant part of the annual Niyogyugan Festival, was a platform to discuss the potential of Quezon's lambanog in the global market. The theme "Quezon Lambanog: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impact to Tourism" highlights the role of this local product in the province's economy. The summit was attended by 2,000 coconut farmers from 39 municipalities and two cities in Quezon province.
Officials, distinguished guests, facilitators, and coconut farmers came together in a show of unity and collaboration, gathering for a formal photograph (Photo credits: Quezon-PIO)
The event commenced with opening remarks by Gov. Angelina D.L. Tan, Governor of Quezon Province, who expressed her vision of transforming Quezon into the leading agri-tourism destination in the region by 2030. She also highlighted Quezon's lambanog, which has achieved recognition as the second-best spirit globally. This was followed by a message from Senator Imee R. Marcos, in which she emphasized the significance of coconut and the vital role of coconut farmers. She expressed her commitment to advancing support for the coconut industry, recognizing it as a high-value crop.
Dr. Gerlie T. Tatlonghari, in her presentation on the Quezon Coconut Industry Roadmap, as well as during the awarding of the certificate (Photo credits: Quezon-PIO)
Subsequently, Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, Program Head of SEARCA's Research and Thought Leadership Department, presented the Quezon Coconut Industry Roadmap (2024–2026) to the coconut farmers of Quezon Province. This roadmap, developed in collaboration with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Quezon (OPA-Quezon) and SEARCA, aims to empower coconut farmers' organizations and their members, to expand coconut production areas, to improve productivity, and to enhance the income of farmers' organizations through enterprise development. The roadmap focuses on four coconut-based products: whole nuts, virgin coconut oil, coco sugar, and lambanog.
Ms. Vallez, alongside the organizing committee and contestants during the Niyogyugan Agri-tourism Festival Booth Competition
Furthermore, Ms. Anna Gale Vallez, SEARCA-RTLD's Program Specialist, served as a judge at the Niyogyugan Agri-tourism Festival booth. This competition, joined by 40 contestants representing each municipality in the province, showcased diverse products derived from coconut and other products renowned in their respective municipalities.
The summit concluded with the announcement of the winner, Spirit of Bannahao Distillery of Dolores,Quezon, for the best-tasting lambanog in Quezon, recognizing the finest distilleries across Quezon Province. This award, a testament to the exceptional craftsmanship and quality of the local distilleries, further established Quezon's lambanog as a distinguished product both locally and internationally, filling the audience with a sense of pride and accomplishment.