A GROUP of healthy and sustainable lifestyle advocates in Davao City is actively promoting the city as the fruit wine capital of the country.

The group called the Consumer Action for Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyle (Cash-L) Network Inc. has been actively involved in the campaign for healthy living.

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The Cash-L was conceptualized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Davao Region and was launched last year. It is a conglomeration of organizations and individuals who support sustainable consumption of safe and healthy products.

Cash-L chair Cesar R. Ledesma said that as consumer advocates, it is their duty as well to offer better product options to consumers. He added that while commercial wine is often regarded as something which can give ill effects to health, the fruit wine is healthy since it is organic. Thus, only natural ingredients are used.

"As compared to commercial wine which may contain synthetic alcohol, organic fruit wine is good alcohol. Organic fruit wine also carries the medicinal properties and nutrients of fruits because it only undergoes natural fermentation process and all ingredients are natural as well," he said.

Ledesma said Davao City can really bid to be the “Fruit Wine Capital of the Philippines” due to two major factors’ the city has one of the best-tasting potable water and various fruits (mango, guyabano, among others) are grown abundantly here.

Relative to the fermentation process that will be used in producing organic fruit wine, Ledesma said he is willing to share his knowledge.

"I'm already producing myself. I can actually help everyone who is interested to go into this kind of business. Anyone may request me to do an actual demonstration of the process,” he said.

DTI-Davao City Field Office director Teolulo T. Pasawa said this is another opportunity which the Davaoeños can tap.

"Furthermore, this will also help in boosting the development of our fruit industry. We, at DTI, are also extending a helping hand for this dream to be realized," he said.