Like a character lifted from Filipino soap operas on television, George Vacal Paraliza returned to the Philippines after working abroad with the vision of setting up a company that will produce premium coconut wine that will be a key player in the global wine industry.

“My wife, Tila, and I shared a dream to leave a legacy for our family so we founded the DJCRATER, Inc. after I retired from a rewarding career in an oil company in the United States of America,” Paraliza said.

Paraliza was born in La Paz, Leyte and educated in Cebu City. While working abroad, he spent his pastime making wine.

“We first established the winery on August 2010 in Tacloban City, Leyte, and named our product Vino de Coco on April 2011,” Paraliza said.

Vino de Coco (Spanish term translated as “coconut wine”) is produced from the fresh sap of cut flower buds of the coconut tree. Farmers harvest the blossoms from the coconut tree. They make a cut on the blossoms, and the sap starts to flow from the cut. The sap is then collected in containers. The collected sap is translucent and contains about 80 percent water. It is naturally fermented into wine with 11 percent alcohol content.

Farmers use the educational guidelines for responsible farming developed by the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Department of Science and Technology to harvest the sap from the blossoms of coconut trees. To ensure the quality of fresh sap, strict controls are implemented in collecting and processing the coconut sap to wine, Paraliza added.

Paraliza continued perfecting his technique of producing coconut wine. He now has three varieties of coconut wine: dry red, sweet red, and sweet white.

“For centuries, coconut wine has been enjoyed here in the Philippines but it was not given the refinement it merits until now. Our wines are endowed with the aroma, flavor, and sophistication that will upgrade the current quality of the country’s coconut wine to meet international standards,” Paraliza said.

To promote these products here and abroad, Paraliza’s company participated in local and international trade shows facilitated and organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The company recently displayed their products in the regional trade fair dubbed as Bahandi (or treasure) 2012 at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, and at the trade exhibit during the National Export Congress at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) in Pasay City. It also plans to participate in IFEX Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food and ingredients show at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on May 16 to 19, 2013.

Early this year, the company got their license from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines to operate as a food manufacturer and exporter having complied with the prescribed requirements. It started exporting to Macau last October 2012. It is targeting to export in countries such as Korea, Japan and China, and has initially sought the assistance the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BETP).

The production of coconut wine is another value-added to the coconut that may prove to be a big boost to our coconut industry. It provides opportunities for our coconut farmers to earn.

Paraliza said they plan to expand their operation and boost their marketing efforts through the use of distributors. They will also develop more coconut sap collectors through strict farming guidelines to increase employment in the Eastern Visayas.

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Five days to go ‘til Christmas and I have not even finished my Christmas shopping. My wish list this Christmas? Well, it’s no different from last year and years past. Good health. You come to a point in your life when material things don’t matter anymore. After all, how can you enjoy life if you don’t feel well. So that is number one on my list and my wish to all.

More time. That’s my second wish. With a million and things to do and projects to be completed, how can I find time to sit and smell the coffee. Need to learn to manage my time better. There are many things to be thankful for in spite of all the nega things we see around us and a lot of things to be hopeful for in the coming year. Let the spirit of the season fill your hearts with joy, glee and happiness enough to last the whole year through.

Happy holidays!

God is Great!

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