MANDAUE City is mulling on exporting its local delicacies, particularly its well-known "bibingka" (local rice cake), to help promote more Filipino food to the international scene and help Mandaue City’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop their businesses.

Kristian Cabahug, Mandaue Investments Promotions Tourism Action Center (MIPTAC) head, told reporters on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, that they target to develop this initiative by next year.

Cabahug said they had already coordinated with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to create a technology that would vacuum seal the bibingka and increase its shelf life.

At present, bibingka's maximum shelf life is within seven days, but with DOST's technology, Cabahug said they target to expand its shelf life up to 90 days or three months so that it would suit for exportation.

Cabahug said the study is ongoing and the technology created will be applied to the bibingka and other Mandaue delicacies.

He added that once the technology is ready, DOST has committed to shouldering all the training and seminars for all the local delicacy-related business owners who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity.

But Cabahug said the DOST had not yet disclosed an estimated budget for the program.

Also on Wednesday, the City launched its "Choose Mandaue Brand Campaign Year 3" at the Ani Restaurant in Barangay Alang-Alang.

Cabahug said the campaign started in 2020 as a way for the City Government to give an avenue to small businesses and promote their products, especially those affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

For this year, Cabahug said Choose Mandaue Brand Campaign would focus on partnering start-up businesses with mentors coming from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), among others.

Some topics they will discuss include branding and product development to improve participants' business management skills.

Cabahug said the seminars would be whole year round, composed of mostly three days to weekly sessions. (HIC)