The Rimat ti Amianan Exposition, which literally means ‘Treasures of the North’, officially opened in the City of San Fernando on December 5, 2008 and lasted until December 18, 2008. City Mayor Pablo C. Ortega graced the opening ceremony with the other provincial and city officials.
Rimat ti Amianan is an annual trade fair that showcases the different agricultural products in Region I and CAR. With this year’s theme: “Diverse Treasures in Harmony”.
The San Fernando City Plaza served as the venue for the exhibit, garlanded with booths that display famous products of the region such as Ilocano delicacies like Vigan ‘longganiza’, empanada, special ‘bibingka’, bagnet, puto Calasiao and other native cuisine.
Other products for sale are garments made up of the inabel (native ilocano cloth from silk fabric), pottery, woodcraft, souvenir items, agriculture and garden products and Christmas decors.
About 107 exhibitors from Region I joined this year’s trade fair exceeding last year’s 78 with a total sales amounting to Php 8.7 million.
In his keynote speech, Mayor Pablo C. Ortega congratulated the organizers and exhibitors for their efforts and also challenged them to create products that will not just be for local consumption and patronage but for global as well.
In line with the expo, the yearly Inter-School Sportsfest was conducted on December 6 with Hon. City Councilor Joseph M. de Guzman as the head of the events committee.
Several activities were held such as the Search for Mr. & Ms. Sportsfest won by Kevin Karlo Gamboa and Krizzia Tara Whitting both form Brain and Heart of a Christian (BHC) Educational Institution; Mr. & Ms. Rimat ti Amianan won by Jericho Sobremonte and Guia Katrina Coldas both from St. Louis College and the Inter-School Cheering Competition of which BHC Educational Institution and Union Christian College from the high school level and college level respectively were declared as the champion.
Other activities were: National Surfing Competition, ICT Forum, Lantern Making Contest, Technology Demonstration, Basic Orientation Seminar and Food Festival.
Further, on December 13, 2008, a showcase of talents was also conducted. A vocal solo competition for children 7 to 12 years old (Bulilit Category) and for adults 15 to 21 years old (Main Category) and an invitational group dance competition (Sayaw Barangay) of which Juliane Luisse Emperador, Ronalyn Villanueva of STI College, and the VIP Dancers of Bauang, La Union championed respectively.
The project was spearheaded by the City Government of San Fernando and the Provincial Government of La Union in cooperation with the Departments of Trade and Industry, Tourism, Science and Technology, Agrarian Reform and Agriculture and the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, La Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the La Union Hotels Resorts and Restaurants Association. |
