(L-R) Magnolia AVP Mayo Alcon, Gov. Lilia Pineda, Mayor Yolly Pineda and Mayor Jun Tetangco show the Pampanga pinipig products after the MOA signing.
Joining them are Board Members Trina Dizon, Monz Laus and Fritzie David-Dizon and local duman farmers and producers.
Photo by Joey Pavia
STA. RITA, Pampanga – Magnolia, San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) ice cream company founded in 1925, launched on Wednesday here its “Best of the Philippines” products, tapping Pampanga’s rare and expensive rice locally known as “duman.”
Mayo Alcon, assistant vice president and general manager of Magnolia Inc., said they are producing at least 20,000 gallons of Pampanga Pinipig ice cream products “to bring the Best of the Philippines to the Filipino tables.”
He added that their new product made of red-husked glutinous rice is now available in the market until supplies last.
Alcon said Magnolia had also earlier launched “best food products” of other provinces and cities in its “our own” promotions, namely, Guimaras, mango; Batangas, tablea; Baguio City, ube; Laguna, macapuno; and Davao, durian.
Alcon, Magnolia brand manager Pinky Custodio, Sta. Rita Mayor Yolanda Pineda and Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda signed a memorandum of agreement in the municipal hall here witnessed by Board Members Monina Laus, Trina Dizon, Olga Frances “Fritzie” Dizon and Salvador Dimson, Guagua Councilor Tonton Torres and Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr.
BRING OUT THE BEST
“Of course, we are proud,” said Mayor Pineda, who invited duman-producing farmers and makers from Barangays Sto. Monica and San Agustin.
The two-term mayor said the entry of Magnolia “further improved the image of their town as business and tourism haven.” It is home to the Sta. Rita de Cascia church built in the late 1800’s and old Spanish houses shown in several Filipino movies.
More importantly, she added, “it will bring in much needed income and economic activity for farmers and the town.”
Gov. Pineda, who proudly announces in public speaking that her late father Sisenando Garcia was a farmer in their native Lubao town, said “this is a manifestation of Capampangan’s preference to quality than quantity and good working attitude just to bring out the best in anything.”
“We will not just support the duman production but the improvement of the old tradition,” she added.
“The parties agree to tie-up for Magnolia’s best of the Philippines collections in the last semester of 2012, wherein Magnolia shall feature in its 1.5-liter ice cream tubs for its limited edition ice cream flavor, Pampanga’s famous pinipig, the name and logo/seal of Pampanga and the governor’s office, as well as images of selected tourist spots, sightseeing attractions, and pinipig production in Pampanga,” said the MOA collectively drafted by Custodio and governor’s consultant-adviser Roy Imperial, former regional technical director of the Department of Agriculture, Region III.
Imperial said the MOA was endorsed and approved by the Provincial legal department and Provincial Administrator Atty. Andres “Jun” Pangilinan.
LONG HOURS TO PREPARE
Imperial, a native of Sta. Rita, said “timing is crucial” in the production of duman – known as pinipig in Tagalog-speaking areas in the country.
He added that at least 30 farmers in the two villages, most of whom are from Sta. Monica, have to wait for “amiam” – or “Christmas breeze” arriving in the last quarter of the year – before the planting of the seeds produced by local farmers for over 60 years. It’s commonly planted in September and harvested in the middle of November.
“It’s more in keeping the tradition passed by our grandfathers to our parents and then to us, which we shall pass on to our children,” said Marilou Gueco of Sta. Monica in the dialect.
“Many do not want to plant rice and moreso prepare duman because it takes long hours and the processes are meticulous,” said Gueco. She added that they start at 4 a.m. and finish the following day at about 3 a.m. when preparing duman after harvest.
“If we got it wrong, we could just make the improperly cooked duman as suman and kalamay (Filipino desserts made of rice products),” said Gueco. She said one can of duman – or more than one kilo – cost at as much as P2,500.
Imperial said the “tradition of planting rice used for duman production is an old Spanish tradition.”
Imperial urged the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to produce the seeds which create the specific variety of rice used for duman production.
He said that based on earlier reports of the DA, Sta. Rita “is the only duman-producing town in North and Central Luzon.”
Magnolia officials said they had tried and tested the same duman products of at least three areas in the country but “Pampanga’s creations are the best and most delicious.”
“We could not name the other towns, of course,” said Alcon in a jest.
Magnolia is a Philippine brand of ice cream extensively sold in the country and it has markets in Thailand, United States of America, Malaysia and Singapore.
Magnolia is a division of SMC, one of the largest food and beverage conglomerates in Asia.
