DAVAO CITY – The Region 11 office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here will feature the many health benefits that can be taken from “malunggay” during the First Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Fair of Davao which will be held from October 15 to 18 at the Gaisano Mall in this city.

DTI 11 Director Teodulo Pasawa said malunggay is packed with “seven times” more than the vitamin C in oranges, four times more than the vitamin A in carrots, four times on calcium in milk, three times more than potassium in bananas, two times the protein in yoghurt and two times the iron found in spinach.
Pasawa said malunggay does not only offer health benefits but also economic opportunities.

Some of the agri-business potentials of malunggay include tea powder; all-purpose oil – for medicines, cosmetics, perfume, lubricants – industrial oil, bio-fertilizer, animal feeds and even water treatment.

“We need to unleash the potentials of the malunggay, and to find the necessary interventions in order to achieve its full potentials,” Pasawa said.

Malunggay is known in Florida as horseradish tree, drumstick tree in India, nebeday in Senegal, and benzolive tree in Haiti, he explained.

According to Cesar Ledesma, chair of the Consumer Action for Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyle (Cash-L) Network Inc., the malunggay helps ensure the health of families and saves them a lot of money.

He said malunggay is easy to grow and pesticide-free.

Cash-L Network is DTI’s partner institution for the fair.

As this developed, the DTI urged residents of this city to visit the three-and-a-half day fair to experience the kind of lifestyle it advocates.

The fair promotes naturally grown food and locally made products, minimal use of energy from fossil fuel, and products that are bio-degradable.

The DTI said that living a simple yet environment-friendly lifestyle that does not necessarily deprive people of the many joys of living.