Laoag City Advances Malunggay Utilization Through Festival and Tree-Planting Initiative

LAOAG — Laoag City is intensifying its efforts to promote malunggay (Moringa oleifera) as a versatile crop through widespread planting and a dedicated festival celebrating its uses in food and traditional medicine. The city’s ‘Plant Marunggay Project,’ now in its fourth year, saw over 3,000 malunggay cuttings planted across its 80 villages on Friday, aiming to bolster local access to this nutrient-rich plant.

According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative not only aims to integrate malunggay into local cuisine, where it is a staple ingredient in dishes like dinengdeng and pinakbet, but also to enhance the green landscape of Laoag. The Malunggay Festival, held every June, further supports this initiative by featuring innovative moringa-based products developed by local food processors, technologists, and entrepreneurs. “We are encouraging more people to plant malunggay for processing in the future,” Opelac said in an interview on Friday, highlighting the plant’s potential to stimulate local business and provide healthy dietary options.

During this year’s festival, participants introduced several new moringa-infused products at the Laoag Multi-Purpose Hall, including pasta enriched with moringa powder, as well as moringa cookies, tea, and various drinks. These products add to a growing list that includes crepes, chips, ice cream, and traditional snacks, illustrating the plant’s versatility and nutritional value.

The City Agriculture Office is actively collaborating with other government agencies to foster further innovation in moringa product development. This includes offering skills training, technological assistance, and marketing support to local producers, thereby enhancing the economic benefits of malunggay cultivation.

Additionally, companies from other sectors have shown interest in sourcing malunggay from Laoag for use in food products, cosmetics, and herbal medicines internationally, where moringa leaves and seed oil are highly valued. Moringa leaf powder is commonly used in food fortification and as a supplement in various forms, tapping into its rich content of vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3, and B6, as well as folate and essential amino acids.

With these initiatives, Laoag City not only aims to elevate the local economy through agricultural innovation but also promotes the health benefits of malunggay, positioning it as a key player in the global market for natural and health-enhancing products.