Manila Aqua Marine and Aquatic Resources Expo 2009

Entrance arch to MAMARE’09 at World Trade Center

The Manila Aqua Marine & Aquatic Resources Exposition (MAMARE’09), in corporation with Agri–Aqua Network International (AANI) Inc., Ating Alamin by Gerry Geronimo and supported by Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR),  Department of Education Culture and Sports ( DEPED), Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy , Department of Transportation and Communication , office of the Vice-President , Enchanted Kingdom , CHED .

Philippine Coast Guard exhibit booth

Lotty Events Management was  pleased to to organized  the FIRST Philippine Marine and Aquatic Benefit Trade show called “Manila Aqua Marine and Aquatic Resources Exposition (MAMARE ‘09) last  August 20-23, 2009 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City with the theme “Sustaining the Philippines as the Crown Jewel of Marine Biodiversity in the Entire Planet.”

The benefit trade show is the most significant gathering of marine & aquatic environmentalists, celebrities and artists, GOs & NGOs for marine preservation and conservation, water sports enthusiasts, manufacturers and business practitioners from the Philippines and overseas.

The country’s long coastline and millions of people which depend on marine resources for their livelihood . It is very important to save and preserve whatever the government and private sector resources in these vanishing natural heritage.

It is a strategic extension of the industry’s definitive platform for the latest in the marine and aquatic sector. An industry first – MAMARE 2009  showcased  innovations and latest technologies in the maritime industry (commercial marine and government agencies), sports & recreation, hobbies, fashion, food, art, schools, tourism, shipping etc. Business opportunities lectures in aquaculture and mariculture, seminars on marine lifestyles best practices was  conducted by experts.

Vice-president Noli De Castro received a framed Philippine marine life on stamps

Last August 20 , Vice president Noli ” Kabayan” De Castro , together with Ms. Christy Ramos- Jalasco , Mr. Kim Atienza opened the event.  As part of the opening day activities selected government  organizations  and NGO partners were solicited message of support by the event organizers.

Mr. Kim Atienza popular television host ( Matanglawin) of ABS-CBN channel 2 with the event organizers and Philippine Coast Guard officers.

Marine & Aquatic Advocacy Contests and Aqua Art Demo was  open for students. Entertainment, fashion and ramp modeling shows will also be highlighted during the exposition. The Bantay Dagat Program of ABS-CBN Foundation was one of the beneficiaries  of MAMARE’09. Proceeds from the event will be directed to the nationwide programs of marine preservation and conservation of Bantay Dagat and the community of Pola in Mindoro.

At the end of MAMARE’09  on August 23 – former president Fidel V. Ramos went to the expo site at around 4p.m.  He  congratulated everyone who had participated in the event. His brief but meaningful speech delighted everyone in the jam-packed activity area.

former President Fidel V. Ramos received a framed stamps from the organizers

He was later presented a framed stamps which featured Philippine marine biodiversity and a portrait by the event organizers and manager . According to the former president , He collected stamps and treasured the framed stamps given to him as a token of gratitude.

At the end of the event, the organizers congratulated everyone who participated the expo and promised to invite  for next year’s MAMARE 2010

Event: The Manila Aqua Marine & Aquatic Resources Exposition (MAMARE ‘09)

Event Manager: Lotty Events Management at (632) 391-3461, 391-3474, fax (632) 311-1488

When: August 20- 23, 2009

Where: World Trade Center, 2/F WTCMM Building, Gil Puyat Ave. Ext. cor. Diosdado Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City.

Tel: (02) 551-5151, 391-3461/3474

East West Seed Company

San Rafael, Bulacan

East West Seed Company is a multinational vegetable seed producer with a leading market position in all major South East and South Asian vegetable seed markets. It produces, develops and sells tropical hybrid vegetable seeds under the brand logo ‘Red Arrow’

potted vincas

Started in 1982 in the Philippines, East West has today operations in all major South East and South Asian vegetable seed markets. The roots then and now remain unchanged; innovative breeding towards improved hybrid varieties that challenge existing market situations.

The  world class breeding and research programs are built on a blend of excellent germplasm, detailed market knowledge and creative and skilled breeders. Classical  plant breeding is the backbone , supplemented by plant pathology programs for disease resistance screening and tissue culture programs to speed up variety development.   The company  also cooperate with leading universities and government ministries in our market countries to develop new tools such as molecular markers to improve selection efficiency.

group photo

Mr. Simon N. Groot – founder ( then East West Group), took the first step. Teaming up with Benito Domingo who had a thriving seed trading business in Manila, they formed Hortigenetics Philippines, Inc. Later, as a gesture to show that a partnership between a European and an Asian would prove that the twain could meet and succeed, they changed the company name to East-West Seed Company.

Breeding work started in 1983 on five hectares outside Lipa City, Batangas, at the Hortanova (“new garden”) Farm. A two-story building went up in Paranaque south of Manila, housing a seed processing plant and offices, to support the marketing program.

It would be four grueling years before any seeds were ready to market. Four years of expenses and payroll going out and no revenues coming in. Breeding efforts covered a wide variety of vegetables: off-season tomato, eggplant, leaf mustard, watermelon, onion, and many Cucurbits especially bitter gourd.

By 1986 the first hybrids (bitter gourd, pumpkin, eggplant, tomato) and several improved  selections of popular leafy vegetables had been introduced throughout the Philippines. Several of those early hybrids became superstars that remain successful even today.

a nipa hut landscape with various annuals and perennials

The company participate in Agricultural shows, Horticulture shows and those organized by the Philippine Horticultural Society , Philippine Orchid Society , AANI , PIFGEX  among others .

The company conducts an open house sale of various products from seeds, potted plants , farm equipment among others…

fried kangkong

The last time the contingent  went to their open house , the group  were treated to a buffet of fried squash , fried kangkong and boiled corns  straight from their farm.

fried squash with vinegar dip

Website: http://www.eastwestseed.com/

Contact Information:

Address: Km. 54 Cagayan Valley Rd.
Sampaloc, San Rafael
3008 Bulacan, Philippines

Telephone +63(044) 766-4952 – 57

King Louis Farm : King of Potted Plants & Cut Flower

Local cut flowers and potted plants were mostly grown in backyards of individual farmers and small garden hobbyists during the post war era of the late 1940’s to the mid 1960’s. For several decades, people had to rely on small-scale production to meet the market demands. There was always a short supply of flowers and potted plants during Valentine’s Day, All Saints Day, Graduation Rites and  Christmas season. The production methods and farm facilities among growers then seemed to be on an endless trial and error basis.

Then came Mr. Vicente Puyat with a private initiative in early 1983. He had several sprawling farms scattered across Baguio and Benguet areas with thousands of quality flowering potted plants in all assortment of colors, shapes and sizes. This was start of the King Louis Farm, and Mr. Puyat was known as the “King of potted plants and cut flowers” not only in Northern Luzon, but also across the country.

gerbera

His project started with an experimental pilot area of 4,000 square meters concentrating on producing different varieties of roses, carnations, gerbera, gypsophilla in Asin, Baguio. It was planned to have a modern production area with pioneering greenhouses producing quality-potted plants and cut flower intended for the local market.  These crops were successfully grown in the tropical highlands of Baguio, but the local folks of Baguio weren’t quite ready back then. King Louis Farm General Manager and President Mr. Efren Chatto recalls farmers were in search of an alternative business venture aside from vegetables, strawberries and seasonal souvenir merchandises.

King Louis – Manila Seedling Bank Foundation outlet

Through several years of experimenting, developing technology, skills training and acquiring new plant varieties, King Louis had finally grown to what it is today.  The company has over 50 active contract farmer-growers scattered in various locations and operates on more than 6 locations in Baguio, La Trinidad areas like in Lamtang, Longlong, Alapang, Atok, Bugias, Tuba with a combined production areas of more than 12 hectares of specialized flower varieties. The farms and company has a labor force of about 100-180 workers, depending on the season.

King Louis Farm -Lamtang plantation

“We assist them (contract growers) in constructing their greenhouses and provide them counter funds by networking them to cooperatives and federations which engage in cut flower production. We even had some bank assistance for the construction of their greenhouses and even installation of sprinkling systems,” said the very enthusiastic Mr. Chatto.

These farms are located in various elevation from 1,200 meters above sea level in the La Trinidad Valley to 2,000 meters above sea level in Atok .The company had recently acquired a property in the province of Bukidnon in the island of Mindanao where the mild weather is conducive for growing crops that the firm will eventually supply for the southern Philippines market.

In the early 90s, with its growing operations and number of wholesale consumers, King Louis Farm tried to venture and opened its retail outlets within the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation compound in 1998, then other retail outlets within Metro Manila had sprung up.  The company is very active in the floriculture and agriculture tourism events, since they were considered as pioneers in the “Panagbenga ” flower festival in Baguio every February and a regular participant in many gardening events and shows such as Agri-Aqua Network Incorporated, Kadayawan, Philippine Horticultural Society, Philippine Orchid Society, among others.

King Louis landscape booth in Horticulture 2009

The booth won 3rd prize in the landscape category

The company started also its luck in exporting cut flowers and cut foliage to Japan and Netherlands. “We had a hard time in meeting their standards of quality,” said Mr. Chatto. But they pursued because the country has distinct advantages to compete globally since the cost of production, low benchmark, competitive labor market plus the country is strategically located to those cut flower and foliage importing countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. With rising cost of fuel, labor and energy prices, it would be cheaper for these countries to import rather than to maintain an expensive production area. ” He explained.

The largest farm, which is devoted to rearing quality poinsettias, is simply exhilarating. Aside from the common red poinsettia, which most of us are familiar with, at King Louis there are three more exciting rare colors – white, pink and a combination of pink and red.  They also have other poinsettia varieties with crinkled flower bracts that are considered as novelty items.  The companies also have their own way of sorting and grading the poinsettias based on the size of the bracts. Poinsettias coded as B, C, and D command higher price. According to Mr. Chatto, this is done so that buyers are assured of uniform-sized plants. He stated the demand usually starts as early as October to December, the peak season for ornamental plants, when three to five large trucks go down to Manila everyday to deliver the plants.

King Louis Farm’s  mission and vision is to be a leading supplier of quality flowers and potted plants in the local market.  While the company motto is “The land is a God given gift, it is our responsibility to cultivate and preserve it.”  Quality and strategy is the name of the game. “Quality flowers come from quality planting materials,” he emphasized.

liliums- blooming sized potted plants

Visiting other countries in order to source new planting materials which could be grown, adapted and sold in the local market is very challenging some planting materials are imported from Netherlands, United States, Malaysia, Thailand and China because our country lacks the facilities for storing bulbs and seeds for a long time to maintain their quality and viability. In order to assure uniform and quality flowers throughout the seasons, old planting materials are discarded. Selecting a strategic place for growing cut flower is also a major consideration. “We try to locate our farms in areas which have a good gravity to ensure a stable water supply and irrigation. Irrigation may not be a problem during the rainy season but during summer, and we tend to rely on deep well which consumes a lot of energy and effort,” he explained. King Louis Farm is concentrating its production for the local market; the farm is also engaged in producing Calla lily bulbs, particularly the colored varieties for export to Holland.

A University of San Carlos in Cebu graduate of economics, and at one time bank manager, Mr. Chatto believes that the business enterprise had come a long way from its humble beginnings. At present, they are not only catering to the cut flower, potted plants of Metro Manila and several points in Luzon, but are also supplying big flower shops in Bacolod, Cebu , Iloilo, Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Davao City,  Samar  and Tacloban City in Leyte  For whatever  business strategies and success stories , the soft spoken Mr. Chatto is willing to share is vast experiences to both hobbyists and to those who wanted to venture in this kind of business in the future.

Currently the company also accepts flower arrangements and landscape jobs

For contact:

Mr. Efren Chatto –

President and General Manager of King Louis Flowers & Plants Inc. , email:efrenchatto@yahoo.com.ph
Farm address: Km.3 Asin Road Baguio City, landline (074)4226735/(074) 4226734

Manila Branches/Office
MSBF Compound EDSA cor Quezon Ave.
Tel: (02) 929-4110,929-4107, 4332-012
Telefax: (02) 929-4114, 9294105

Insular Botanical Garden &Farm

This is a favorite place for plant lovers , horticulturists , trader or simply photographer’s delight .

This a farm had hectares dedicated solely on the production of high value ornamental potted plants and cut-flower varieties of bromeliad , tillandsias, guzmanias mostly sold in the local markets.

Tillandsia schiedeana variety major in bloom

Some of the plants are even exported in other countries . With the help of Dutch- Suriname owner and its partners . This farm is also haven for rare ornamental plants.

Tillandsia cyanea or Pink Quill

Some of the flowering plants therein: pink & green pineapples, sabrina [double], morgana, freddie, etna, tawi, talk pink, tillandsia cyanea, christiane, cotton candy, stricta [double].. and many, many more.

Dendrobium crumenatum orchids growing on a Dracena

The area had a lot of natural growing wild orchids such as Dendrobium heterocarpum , Dendrobium crumenatum among others.

There is a big pond were 2 varieties of lotus are grown (pink and white ones).

Tillandsia xerographica listed as CITES appendix II

Tillandsia xerographica-Native to Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala, this beautiful cultivar is very slow growing and easy to care for. The silvery gray leaves are wide at the base and taper to a point. This epiphyte is suitable for growing on trees, rocks, or just about anywhere. Can grow from 6 to 18 inches in height and about 6 to 15 inches in diameter. The flowers are red to purple and last for a long time. Mist well about once a week.

Tillandsia andreana from Colombia  among others. The plants are mass propagated by seeds and thru suckers.

tillandsia seeds

The farm is vital in the propagation of these two species of rare tillandsias.

There are hundreds of different varieties of plants in the farm. According to one of the consultant , the farm produces over 300,000 potted plants at any time. Some foreigners like Thais , Singaporeans, Malaysians , Taiwanese had went to the place and bought numerous ornamental plants either for their collection, landscaping and resale.

The company is into wholesale and retail business of selling these plants. Appointments must be made before coming to the farm

For inquiries and farm tour:

Contact person : Mr. Oscar (0920-9281796 ) / (09209521063)

TeleFax (042) 540-78-22 or email: scandor.elias@gmail.com / insularbotanicals@gmail.com

Address: Insular Botanic Garden Corporation , Bgy. Kilib, Lucban, Quezon Province

Notes: Those who wanted to purchase plants at a wholesale price, try to contact them. The farm normally do not entertain walk-ins !

Victory Garden

Last May 23, 2009 the members of the Philippine Orchid Society went to the province of Cavite for a field trip.

collection of bonsai and ornamental plants

One of the gardens  that was included in the itinerary was Victory Bonsai & Ornamental Garden in Cavite. The place had an impressive collection of cactus and succulents, bonsai, fruits trees,  orchids, ornamental plants and also accepts landscaping jobs  . The family also sells beautiful ceramic and potteries at retail and wholesale price.

specimen sized opuntia cactus in a flat dish

The proprietors of the garden is also an active members of the Cactus and Succulent Society of the Philippines, Philippine Horticultural Society , Philippine Orchid Society .

The garden is also perfect hub  for meetings, weddings and birthday parties. tour  group  was treated with late morning breakfast which consists of instant coffee ,   a pancake meal from a fast food restaurant.

members and guests posed for a group shot

The group happily pose for a group shot and  went into a buying spree .

For inquiries:

Telephone ( 632) 2531286

Fax (632) 255-8626

Mobile (0917)5397841 / (0922)875 7539