Nourishing The Miracle Green
"This project is the one closest to my heart, because this miracle green conserved the life of Sally, the other half of the Governor of Zambales, who occurs to be my mother."
With teary eyes, Atty. Izelle Iamly P. Deloso, the Provincial Administrator (PA) of Zambales and child of Zambales Governor Atty. Amor D. Deloso, shared her personal evidence on the advantages of Moringa leaves during the Awarding Ceremony of Equipment to San Antonio Moringa Processors (SAMPA) for their Moringa Processing Project on January 17, 2018.
She stated that sometime in 2008, her mom Sally Deloso's (about 50 years old that time) cars and truck was smashed by a delivery van along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). This almost triggered her life. Her medical professional said that the impact of the accident can cause major damage on her internal organs, however astonishingly, they learnt that she had no significant internal injury because her bones are as healthy as that of a thirty (30) year-old and that these safeguarded her organs. Sally endured the mishap and declared that this is due to the fact that she likes eating different "marunggay" meals, Ilocano name of Moringa, so she had the ability to keep a strong and healthy body.
Present during the Awarding Ceremony are micro-small and medium enterprise (MSME) enablers such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Antonio and the regional private sectors of San Antonio, Zambales.
Organized by the Municipal Agriculture Office of San Antonio, the Moringa Processing Project of SAMPA began in 2012 as a support group to the One-Town One-Product (OTOP) Project of DTI. Their initial product offers are Moringa Yema, Tarts, Polvoron and Cookies. As support to the project, DOST granted devices under their Grant-In Aid (GIA) Program in 2013 and in 2014. Due to the fact that there was restriction in production capability, DTI released another set of equipment under its Share Service Facility (SSF) Program.
Nancy Fitel, President of the San Antonio Moringa Processors Association, expressed her gratitude to the different government companies who have actually been supporting their job since the start. She thanked DTI and DOST for the innovation, item development, trainings and marketing help reached them. She said that because of the devices awarded to them, they had the ability to establish brand-new products that are now very successful and marketable. The association is now producing Moringa Shing-a-ling, a healthy treat made from Moringa Leaves.
Their Shing-a-ling item alone contributed more than P300,000 sales in 2017 and after the awarding of the new set of devices by the Provincial Government of Zambales on January, their sales are expected to shoot-up to about P500,000 or 167% higher than last year.
From two (2) production workers in 2013, the association is now utilizing seven (7) regular staff members working 8 (8) hours a day, 6 (6) days a week.
According to PA Deloso, the Provincial Government of Zambales will support livelihood projects like this one in San Antonio due to the fact that it is not just creating livelihood and jobs to individuals aside from supporting the local economy, but it is likewise promoting healthy way of life by serving healthy products to Zambaleños.
