DA Central Luzon kicks off 6th ASPIRE in Pampanga; focuses on ube’s potential

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Luzon has formally opened the 6^th Agribusiness Support for Promotions and Investment in Regional Exposition (ASPIRE) at the Marquee Mall in Angeles City, Pampanga on 23 June 2026.

According to the DA Central Luzon, this year’s theme is “Purple Prosperity: Driving Innovations and Investments in the Ube Value Chain” that focuses on the massive market shift surrounding ube—often hailed as the Philippines' equivalent to Japan's matcha—as global demand across North America, Europe, and Asia continues to dramatically outstrip supply.

ASPIRE is a flagship partnership program of the DA, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) that focuses on boosting farmers’ incomes by connecting agricultural stakeholders—such as farmers, fisherfolk, cooperatives, and MSMEs—with domestic and global markets.

The 6th ASPIRE Expo showcases how traditional food matrices are evolving into premium commercial products. Local MSMEs are expanding past simple purees and ube halaya into high-value items such as gourmet snacks like Ube Lengua de Gato and Araro Purple Yam Cookies.

Other high value items that ube can be made into include high-grade industrial products including ube powder, purees, and localized flavor extracts used by multinational café and restaurant chains.

Philippine ube exports spiked to USD3.25 million (nearly 1.7 million kilograms), representing a 20% year-on-year increase. Government officials see the “Violet Revolution” as a cornerstone mechanism to narrow the nation's multi-billion dollar agricultural trade gap while uplifting the economic security of rural farming communities.