SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCTS

November 28, 2021 Community Billboard

La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda buys dried foods from Fruit TEA Ba-ak, specializing on homemade dehydrated fruits and veggies during the 2021 Benguet Agri-Fair held in Wangal, La Trinidad.
Photo by Primo Agatep
FB Page: Fruit TEA Ba-ak’s homemade dehydrated fruits and Veggy Products
“School principal turns entrepreneur ; Fruit TEA Ba-ak.”
The pandemic has created new opportunities to our kababayans, one of them is Rebecca Manna-od, a former public servant-school principal.
Manna-od, a health enthusiasts, met the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic squarely – to survive. From her personal savings brought by years of dedicated public service and sacrifices in the academe, started a small business—drying fruits and vegetables.
It all began at the 4th quarter of 2019 during the height of the pandemic. Fruit TEA Ba-ak was established and rose to the occasion, not only to demonstrate her passion in health and wellness, but also to help others, family members, friends, the Filipino community on her little way.
To survive, people need nourishment-food. With a meager capital, Manna-od, begun producing foods through the process of dehydrating fruits and vegetables.
In a telephone interview, Mannao-od revealed that she started processing (dehydration) locally produced lemons, oranges and apples. One way of supporting our local farmers, the soft-spoken educator stressed.
Asked why she started with those three fruits:” Its for body cleansing and detoxing,” Manna-od pointed. Countless sleepless nites, turned into weeks, months— her commitment grew bolder, inspired by the support from her family and friends—the demand of her dehydrated fruits-veggie products blossomed.
Fruit TEA Ba-ak online selling became a vibrant marketing tool.
“Positive!” Manna-od jubilantly told this writer following the acceptability of her homemade dehydrated products, started from three eventually expanded — pears, eggplant, ampalaya, okra, p a r s l e y , c h i n e s e malunnggay,guyabano,pandan, mint, ginger, turmeric, among others.
Her dehydrated products were featured-displayed during the 2021 Benguet 2021 Agr-Fair (Wangal, La Trinidad), marked the 121st Benguet Anniversary- Adivay Festival.
Talking to Manna-od, the educator turned entrepreneur was just a chance, actually through the courtesy of Vienna Balag, who happened to be assisting in the selling of their dehydrated products in just a small table at the agri-fair.
Like any other entrepreneur with humble beginnings, Manna-od expressed her gratitude to her kababayanskailyans who patronized her
homemade dehydrated products.
Manna-od said the Benguet Agri-Fair has opened other new opportunities.