BOAC, MARINDUQUE – In celebration of the 105th anniversary of Marinduque as an independent province, the DSWD Field Office MIMAROPA, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) participated and conducted an information campaign during the province’s Agri-Tourism Trade Fair at the Moriones Arena, San Miguel, Boac, from February 20 to 22, 2025.

The Agri-Tourism Trade Fair, one of the celebration activities, aimed to support local farmers and entrepreneurs by showcasing the best local products and highlighting the province’s rich culture, trade, agriculture, livelihoods, and tourism. 

The SLP Provincial Office managed to set up two stalls promoting food and non-food products such as buko pie, buko juice, kakanin, peanut, peanut butter, polvoron, arrowroot panganan, arrowroot cookies, yema, tote bags, butterfly frames, vermi cast, carbonized rice hull, coco peat, lampshades, fan, crochets, morion souvenir items, and other handicrafts. During the 3-day fair, it garnered a total sales of Php 13,665.00.

As part of the information campaign, SLP Provincial Partnership Officer Arjay A. Historillo answered queries about the program, distributed IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials, and led the one-on-one discussions to raise public awareness about the implementation of the program among local residents.

The event with the theme “Isang Alab! Isang Marinduque!” facilitated by the Provincial Government of Marinduque through the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Marinduque commemorated the 105th year as an independent province which marks the day it was officially separated from Tayabas (now Quezon) through Philippine Legislature Assembly Act No. 2880 on February 21, 1920.

The opening program was attended by Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco, Governor Presbitero J. Velasco, Vice Governor Adeline M. Angeles, Board Members, Boac Municipal Mayor Armi DC. Carrion, Provincial Tourism Officer Rino P. Labay, Phil-Export President Carmelita R. Reyes, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Marinduque State University (MarSU) representatives and all 24 MSMEs exhibitors.

Contributor: Arjay A. Historillo, SLP Marinduque Provincial Partnership Officer