CalPERS lauds Bulacan food program

The California Public Employees Retirement Services (CalPERS) has hailed the Bulacan provincial government’s proposed food exchange program and assured Bulacan officials visiting assistance in finding possible investment.

Bulacan officials headed by Gov. Josie Dela Cruz and provincial administrator Gladys Sta. Rita met recently with Panda E.C. Hershey, CFA, portfolio manager of the alternative investments management group of Calpers at the latter’s Lincoln Plaza headquarters in Sacramento, California.

The food exchange programs aims to give equal equity to farmers who plant the crops, haulers who transport the produce and sellers or retailers who market the products.

The program will be implemented under a corporation with seed money from private individuals and institutions, infrastructure investments from the provincial government and a corresponding fund from CalPERS.

Hershey assured the Bulacan officials to link them up with its partner investors in Thailand.

In January, Bulacan officials successfully negotiated with the City of Hesperia in California to allocate a tract of land in the city to be used for establishment of a Center for Philippine Products which will not only showcase products made in the Philippines, Bulacan in particular, but also employ native artisans and technical workers.