talonggo

An Ode To The Tablea

2012-01-25T06:39:00.001+08:00

Remember the stories of "Tsokolate Eh" and "Tsokolate Ah," as narrated by our teachers when we were younger?

It was the 90's, when teachers still vividly recall the Spanish-tinged culture of old times: before the boom of computers in the Philippines, and way before the Internet happened.

It was a time when the Champorado still made a constant appearance at meriendas, and a time when such tales still graced afternoon History, Social Sciences or Filipino lessons.

Today, the chocolate Tablea is nowhere to be found -- in Kalibo, at least.

While I write this, I am making clandestine trips to my makeshift kitchen. A short distance of less than a meter from where I am. There, I savor the mug of cocoa I prepared for myself, a relief from the two months of furtive searching in Kalibo's groceries and even traditional market, for the much-desired cocoa Tablea.

Tablea is the traditional Filipino form of processed cocoa. Adopted from Spanish influences, there was a distinct way of preparing the drink:

The richer, thicker form was called "Tsokolate Eh," and served to privileged/wealthy guests.
The thinner, watered-down form was called "Tsokolate Ah," and served to commoners.

This was the acceptable culture back in the day, when prejudice was prevalent and social castes were still distinct. The book Noli Me Tangere by National Hero Jose Rizal captured the culture surrounding the cocoa preparation perfectly.

There is no comparing the cocoa prepared straight from the Tablea with a cup of hot choco prepared with Ricoa Sweetened/Breakfast Cocoa Powder, or even Swiss Miss. Not even a run to Jollibee, Mister Donut, Dunkin Donut, McDonald's, or even Starbucks, could yield a cup comparable to a batch of the real thing, prepared from real, pressed cocoa Tablea. These versions are simply watered-down. These do not give you the high and the health benefits that only a good batch of tablea-prepared cocoa could offer.

My craze for the stuff started back in July or August 2011, when I read this article and watched this video documentary of the health benefits of pure cocoa, as manifested in the lives of the Kuna Indians of Panama:

video platform video management video solutions video player

And with that, my mad search for cocoa Tablea ensued.

I then discovered, with much incredulity, that there was no Tablea cocoa to be found here in Kalibo. It was providence that my Facebook rants about the disappointing discovery was met with the kindness of a high school schoolmate. She sent me cocoa Tablea from Sprinkles Cakes and Pastries, a sister company (literally) of Kitty's Kitchen in Kalibo. That was my week's worth of happiness, back in the 2nd Quarter or 3rd Quarter of 2011.

Thereafter, I decided to wait out my craving and desire to get healthier via cocoa, until I got back to Iloilo and found a way to hoard cocoa from there.

Fast forward to today.

In December, I went home to Iloilo City, and stayed with my parents, who were already experimenting with a cocoa tablea business. While there, our ref was stacked with, I figure, 30+ rolls of Tablea.

Did I just walk into Tablea heaven or what?

Then I also discovered that Antonio Pueo and other brands of Tablea were still very much a part of SM City Iloilo's grocery shelves:

In fact, I also recall visiting Robinson's Pioneer when I was in Manila, and smiling a relieved smile upon seeing the familiar Antonio Pueo nestled firmly on a grocery shelf.

So why are they extinct here in Kalibo, then? Where, you'd probably expect people to be bigger aficionados of the stuff, given that they *should have* held more tightly to traditional customs, like a good mug of authentic, thick Tsokolate Eh boiled from Tablea?

That, I may never get to answer. All I know is that a clerk from Marianing's told me how they had phased out the Tablea "A long time ago."

A tragic fact. Saved only by the fact that Antonio Pueo and the other Tablea brands are still very much alive, in more urbane centers like Iloilo City and even in Metro Manila.

How odd. Or maybe I'm stereotyping culture. Maybe, in my head, I have it cut-and-dried that the more rural a locale in the Philippines, the more they "should" hold on to Filipino traditions and customs.

Maybe, most likely, I'm wrong.

So for now, I'll just have to source my cocoa Tablea from a place surprisingly closer to home -- my childhood home, literally. Isn't that ironic?

Now excuse me, while I daydream about Rizal, Padre Damaso and how odd it was to discriminate guests by Tsokolate Eh or Tsokolate Ah, as I press down the cocoa fragments of my hot water-soaked Tablea.

***

Filipinos Love Coffee

2012-01-19T05:08:00.002+08:00

Filipinos are known to be great consumers of coffee. While coffee is a global commodity, and Starbucks is a global phenomenon, the global culture surrounding coffee has eclipsed the fact that Filipinos hold a special place in their hearts for coffee.

If you've ever taken a trip to the provinces, you'll find that the early morning ritual is similar across the provinces, across the landscapes, and with different faces:

As the sun rises, the farmer with the life-weathered face picks up his tools, and makes his way to the fields. As the sun inches its way across the horizon, the farmer starts hacking at the weeds growing amongst his crops. After a while of this hard work, he brings his tools, starts towards a shed in the middle of the field, leans them on the wall, and goes inside the shed. Inside are meager stocks; things for refreshment throughout the day. Outside is a makeshift stove. He fires up the stove, heats water, and waits. When the water comes to a boil, he takes the brown makeshift sieve and pours the boiling water through it, and into a cup. Out comes a golden-black liquid, that marks the start of the day.

In another man's morning, the sun peeks through the kitchen windows. Ornate glass frames the sunbeams as they shine their way through, gently forcing the breaking darkness out of the way. He takes a stainless steel kettle and fills it with water. He fires up the gas stove, and waits for the water to boil. He finds a chair and opens yesterday's newspaper, as his wife bustles to make their breakfast. As the kettle whistles, he puts his paper down, scoops instant coffee, non-dairy creamer and muscovado sugar into his mug. He takes his mug, sets it on a side table beside his chair and goes back to reading yesterday's paper. In a while, his day in the provincial city will start.

Coffee marks the Filipino's daybreak. It also graces the Filipino's midafternoon snack. It may even find itself as a Filipino night owl's post-dinner treat. And for the modern-day Filipino BPO worker, coffee will find itself in his hands, whatever time of day: Pre-work, mid-shift, and post-work, so he can still work on his daytime tasks.

That is why the Philippine coffee industry has found more room to grow. Just when everyone thought that no one could break Nescafe's monopoly on coffee production, San Mig Coffee found a niche for itself. Then, Kopiko took the 3-in-one niche by storm with its delicious Kopiko Brown Coffee. Of late, people can now enjoy Brown Coffee from Nescafe, Great Taste (highly recommended), and the trailblazer, Kopiko. Of the 3-in-one brands that have taken the market by storm, these three have passed this coffee lover's discerning taste buds:

Kopiko Brown Coffee
Great Taste Brown Coffee
Great Taste White Coffee

And while Nescafe still rules the market, San Mig Coffee and Cafe Puro rule these palate. But that's just me.

The burgeoning coffeeshop industry, the bustling instant coffee market, and the growing brewed coffee market is the tip of the iceberg in terms of clues to how the Filipino loves his coffee. Next time, this coffee lover will discuss how some traditional Filipino food shops have found their place in the sun -- or their market's hearts -- by serving great coffee.

***

This weekend marks Dinagyang in Iloilo City. If you're in Iloilo City during that time, try savoring a cup from the renowned Madge's in LaPaz Market, or Iloilo's own Coffeebreak. If you'd rather hang out in Smallville, try Yogu's unlimited brewed coffee for only Php 40. Kopi Roti is also in Smallville, and this Singaporean franchise serves one awesome cup of Kopi.

***

Photo Credits:

Lagalog

currystrumpet

Where To Stay In Macau

2011-12-10T13:51:00.003+08:00

Grand Waldo Hotel beside Galaxy. From Grand Waldo, you can cross the street and take a short walk across Galaxy's parking lot and end up in Galaxy's Bus/Shuttle Terminal where you can ride a bus/shuttle to practically anywhere in Macau.

The Venetian is further across this vast expanse but still walkable. Long walk though.

Bob's Coffee -- A Moment of Heaven

2011-11-21T09:31:00.001+08:00

Previously, we sang praises about Bob's Makati's great food. But have we told you about the rich, delectable coffee that Bob's offers?

Being coffee connoisseurs, we at Talonggo have tasted the gamut of coffeehouse specials: from Starbucks to Figaro, and even down to the obscure niche kapihans of Bacolod and Iloilo, our coffee palates are so refined that we know how great, even awesome, coffee tastes.

The day one of our Talonggo writers tasted Bob's coffee, she knew it was worth its volume in gold.

Bob's coffee is rich, sweet and yet infused with the right notes of bitter that one of those cups they serve is enough to send a coffee connoisseur to a moment of heaven.

While a coffee hog may want a Venti of Bob's, we feel like the dainty cups are enough to truly savor a hit of Bob's coffee. One thing about rich gourmet delicacies is that they're best savored in right-sized doses. Bob's coffee is no different. You don't consume it by the gallon; rather, you consume it by the dainty cups they're served in: the better to savor each and every drop. If you want more, then savor another cup. Savoring it bit by bit is the ONLY way to go.

As they say, "To each his own." Maybe you won't agree with our raves about Bob's coffee; maybe you will. One thing, we ADORE Bob's coffee, and we have every reason to.

Come on over to Bob's Coffee on Dela Rosa Street in Makati, or in its original branch in BS Aquino Drive, in front of the Riverside Hospital in Bacolod City.

Bob's In Makati

2011-11-18T16:22:00.006+08:00

Bob's of Bacolod closed down its operations in Magallanes and is now in De La Rosa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Shown here is a hearty breakfast of Gourmet Tuyo and eggs with the sunny side up.

Bob's Sate Babi and Fruit Punch is always a true Bacolodnon's comfort food. Of course, apart from Chicken Inasal!

Bacolodnons and Camel Cigarettes

2011-11-18T15:49:00.002+08:00

Take a good look at the picture. Now you know why Bacolod smokers like to smoke Camel Cigarettes.

Demistifying Negrense Decadence

2011-11-14T12:41:00.002+08:00

From my old blog.

Blog date : August 9, 2008

A few months ago, over a round of golf, I had this interesting discussion with investment banker, Richard Dalao, who told the story of their family's "reverse migration" from Negros to Manila. It was the mid 1960's and Richard's dad opted to move back to Manila as in Richard's words, "my dad couldn't take the lifestyle in Negros. Being an Ilocano, he found the life too decadent. So back to Manila it was".

The same impression lives on until today. For those who are not familiar with the inner trappings of the sugar culture, the flamboyance displayed is easily misconstrued as outright arrogance.

How did it get to this point? What triggered such behavior? If you still have these lingering questions, allow me to take the first step in breaking apart the mystery.

There is a saying that the people from Davao spend yesterday's money today, the people from Cebu spend today's money today, but the people from Bacolod spend ...well, tomorrow's money today.

Spending versus one's future earnings comes naturally to the Negrense. This was triggered before the turn of the 20th century when sugar as a product was picking up in terms of price in the world market. Demand was beginning to grow among the Commonwealth domains in South East Asia including Australia and New Zealand.

The principal catalyst in this little "Story of Sugar" is a man by the name of Nicholas Loney. He was the son of a British admiral, born in the naval town of Plymouth, and well-educated. He left England at the age of 24 to seek his fortune and travelled to South America, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and finally to the Philippines in 1852. He became a clerk in Manila of the British firm Ker & Co.

In 1856, Loney was assigned to Iloilo and became a vice-consul and eventually opened the firm of Loney & Ker & Co. In those days, British ships came to the Negros and Panay region to be loaded up with sugar for export to Australia and the other states in the region under the British flag. Once docked in the ports of Negros and Iloilo, the ships would be stationed for some time until it was fully loaded with sugar for export. Precious days were lost in this exercise.

To arrest the situation, sugar crops and produce were paid for in advance the year before so as not to hamper the loading of sugar on British vessels. This is where the practice of receiving money against standing crops began in the Philippines. From those days, the crop loan had entrenched its way into Negrense lifestyle. This was further fortified by the sugar quota system under the Jones-Costigan Act of 1934 wherein year on year, the Philippines had a great quota to fill, not only for the British but for the almighty US of A.

Imagine receiving the bumper reward of money months before the crops were to be harvested! Loney even convinced the American financial house of Russel & Sturgis to open a branch in the Negros-Panay region in order give crop loans to planters.

Now with cash on hand to spend long before the harvest has actually come, I guess I need not elaborate how Negrense decadence came about and how the phenomenon has become legendary.

More about Negros soon ;-)

Inasal.

2011-11-09T14:43:00.000+08:00

There is an ongoing battle about the definition of "Authentic Inasal," and it's getting hotter and hotter every day.

Inasal is essentially chicken barbecue. "Inasal" is a Hiligaynon term that is a direct translation of "barbecue." It may also be applied to other grilled dishes. Inasal as a dish had boomed to mainstream popularity thanks to the enterprising Mang Inasal chain of fastfood restaurants. Because Mang Inasal was acquired by Jollibee and thus expanded aggressively, it soon became a ubiquitous fastfood chain, offering an original Filipino treat.

Not everyone is happy with the newfound popularity of the Inasal, as promoted by Mang Inasal, however. The Inasal puristas and die-hards of Bacolod City in Negros Occidental are stating the case of why Mang Inasal is NOT authentic inasal.

If you ask an Authentic Inasal aficionado why Mang Inasal is NOT to be considered an authentic rendition of Inasal, the theses are numerous:

But the gist can be narrated in these terms:

Authentic Inasal has a distinct taste that comes from the marinade of coconut vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger and onions. The taste is further enriched with a basting sauce made of annatto (achuete) oil and margarine. The chicken is then grilled to a consistency that will make its skin crispy, and yet allow the meat to maintain its juiciness. It's not too dry, and neither should it be too fatty. And its spices should be in the sauce and not tasted in the chicken itself.

Authentic Bacolod Inasal has no soy sauce in its marinade, contrary to the usual marinade used in other grilled dishes. Bacolodnons also denounce the "Spicy Inasal" offered by Mang Inasal on its menu, because, as mentioned, the spice should be savored in the dipping sauce and not on the chicken, whether it's part of the marinade or the basting. In short, the Authentic Bacolod Inasal has its distinct taste, distinguishable to the discerning Negrense palate.

That being said, if you really want to taste Bacolod's authentic Inasal, you would have to visit those establishments and districts outlined in "Authentic Chicken Inasal from Bacolod- The way it should be eaten!" and "Virtual Negrénses Talk Authentic Inasal." And if you're into experimenting in the kitchen, try your hand with these Bacolod Inasal recipes:

At the end of the day, let's face the fact that Mang Inasal is a major commercial enterprise, a fastfood for those who want their Inasal on the fly. Still, in keeping with the general definition of "Inasal," it IS a grilled dish, and would still fall into that definition. On the other hand, if gustatory experience and cultural authenticity is what you are after, then by all means, we would have to say that there's nothing like the Authentic Bacolod Inasal.

***

Photo Credits: Istorya.net -- Bacolod's Authentic Inasal - Manokan Country

Pamayo Kag Pamiste (Way Of Dressing/Pananamit)

2011-10-26T15:51:00.001+08:00

A people's fashion sense tells a lot about its culture. Especially in the Philippines, where style is a barometer of how Hispanized a locale has been, the manner of dress will tell you a lot about a Filipino community's culture.

Take for example the different locales in Western Visayas. In the interest of brevity, we'll just consider three major locales/cultures: Bacolod City, Iloilo City and Kalibo, Aklan.

Residents of both Bacolod and Iloilo City are called "Ilonggos," though, to differentiate, some people call Bacolod natives "Bacolodnons," "Bacoleños," "Negrosanons," "Negrenses," among other monikers. Both cultures have Hiligaynon as their mother tongue, but there are differences in some of the words either use.

But back to the way of dress as a cultural barometer: even as the twin cultures are basically nearly identical in tongue, the way people dress from either city are as different as different gets.

When you stroll through the commercial districts of both Iloilo and Bacolod City, you will get to see how different both are in fashion sense.

In Iloilo, you will be able to see the good majority wearing very plain, very ordinary clothes. Think pastel or light-colored babydoll shirts and good ole jeans. In fact, if you were stylish in Iloilo, you may very well get curious, even critical stares from other people, especially from the women. If a girl wears particularly sexy clothing, she should expect to be ogled.

On the other hand, Bacolod is home to people who know their fashion and won't be caught dead being less than stylish. As we mentioned in "Dressy In Bacolod City," Bacoleñas are among the Philippines' best-dressed; but what an Ilongga from Iloilo City won't understand would be to go malling in heels.

Ilonggas are also very stylish, but they prefer to dress down on a regular day. Ilonggas don't like calling attention to themselves, that's why they would rather choose to look plain. By contrast, Bacoleñas always choose style.

Now we go to the way Akeanons (people from Aklan) prefer to dress. Just as a very objective, very frank observation of the culture, we note that Akeanons, especially the women, tend to be... Overdressed.

For a relatively small, generally rural town, you'd expect the people to dress simply, right? Well, that's where you're -- we're -- wrong.

When we came over, we were expecting fashion sense closer to, or even simpler, than the regular Ilongga from Iloilo City. But we were surprised to see women dressed in glittery, shiny, frilly clothing and headed for -- the supermarket.

We also saw women who were accented with all their GOLD finery. While shopping for coffee and sugar.

In the age of fashionable fake, plastic, even cloth earrings and bracelets, an age where crimes are getting more rife in the cities, and wearing gold jewelry is increasingly a threat to one's safety, it came as a surprise to see women wearing gold on their fingers, earlobes, and wrists, with no jewelry spot left to spare, in the heart of -- Sleepy Kalibo.

That being said, you could never stereotype a locale by its level of urbanization. The way its people wear their clothing and finery seem to be determined by culturally deeper factors. One major commonality is that both Kalibo and Bacolod were more heavily influenced by the Spanish colonial culture, and the Spanish, being fans of indulgence and the fine things in life, seemed to have imparted these traits to the locals of these two communities. This level of Hispanization seems to be a factor that holds the most influence on the way the people of these places dress.

When you travel across the cities and municipalities of the Philippines, keep an open eye for these things; you'd be surprised about what you'd learn about our country and its culture. It's more than just the ribbons and the frills on the blouses; it's actually all about colonial history and its influences on our cultural psyche.

Till the next Talonggo update!

***

Photo Credits: WikiFilipinas

Bendunggo: To-Die-For Beef Offal Stew

2011-10-06T16:03:00.000+08:00

Iloilo and Bacolod are both famous for delectable food. Iloilo has the memorable Batchoy, while Bacolod is proud of its to-die-for Kansi. Both regions are known to be home to a pleasure-loving people, and most of that pleasure is centered on food.

Kalibo, Aklan, still a part of the Western Visayan region, is not exactly known for awesome food. In fact, it’s a place where Chowking went out of business and folded up. Only a few specialty food places have survived, and these do, indeed, serve awesome food. These are relatively new places, and they serve the Akeanon versions of Italian and Japanese specialties:

Kitty’s, near the Police Station in Kalibo’s plaza. It serves great, affordable, authentic Carbonara at Php 65 for the highest-priced pastas.
Seafront, with branches in Supermarket and on Roxas Avenue. It serves a renowned pizza, as taught by a retired French baker to the owner.
Abre Test Kitchen on Veteran’s Avenue, fronting the Kalibo Fire Station, serves pastas at Php 75 for the most expensive.items on the Specialty Pasta menu. Other items range from Php 50 to Php 100 only. They also serve fusion Japanese.

But we’re not here to talk about the Filipino versions of Italian food. We’re here to talk about local specialties.

In a small store in the area known as the “Supermarket,” there is a delectable kind of beef stew: the bendunggo.

“Bendunggo” usually refers to an animal’s gut parts. This could be ox tripe, beef offal, or if you’re using other kinds of livestock, the offal and tripe of these. In the bendungguhan frequented by The Scribbler, they use the choicest innards of beef, boil them for hours in laurel leaves and more MSG than a Chinese stir-fry. When they serve the dish, they dump burnt garlic into the mix, making it loads more flavorful.

Every morning, that store is always over-capacity, as tricycle drivers and other Kalibo residents get their fix of the one dish that they serve. Their tiny place gets customers occupying seats in shifts, because it’s really bustling like that. It’s almost hard to believe that this family was able to achieve that, simply because they only serve that dish and rice.

This small, one-dish karinderya is owned by friendly, humble and unassuming couple Romeo Isada and Lederna Enero-Isada. This street resto started in another, smaller spot in Supermarket. According to those who got to eat in the old spot, the place was half the size of the space it occupies today. The old space can only occupy Mrs. Isada, who cuts up and serves the Bendunggo dish itself, the dishwasher, the pot where Bendunggo is cooked, and a lone customer. The rest eat in tables outside, and Mr. Isada dispenses the rice outside the stall as well. Today, the Bendunggo space can now seat at least 4 customers, an assistant cutting up the beef offal, a dishwasher slash busboy going around working on clearing the tables, Mrs. Isada, the Bendunggo pot, and Mr. Isada dispenses rice right beside her. The larger space is testament to the couple's progress in business.

The bendunggo itself only costs Php 25, and the rice will set you back only another Php 7.00. If you want a softdrink to go with your meal, the owner will go out and buy you the drink of your choice from another store. In all, you’ll probably spend less than Php 40 for your meal. If you want to have two servings* of the dish, and two servings of rice, plus a softdrink, you’ll probably pay a bit more than Php 60, but less than Php 70. Yes, for such a filling, delicious meal, you will be paying only so much.

The small karinderya is located behind Aklan Catholic College, near the town plaza.

***

*Note: Try to have only one serving of the dish. Consuming copious amounts of MSG may make you feel a little light-headed.

Shot on Location at the Garcia Residence

2011-09-27T17:27:00.003+08:00

Social Media Bug Bites Bacolodnons Worldwide‏

2011-08-11T10:21:00.000+08:00

The social networking site Facebook has been around for a few years now but it was not until a few days ago that the social media bug has impacted Bacolodnons in a phenomenal way. A group on Facebook was formed three days ago by a Bacolodnon in the US under the heading, “You Know You’re From Bacolod If...”. As of this writing, the online group has gained more than 4,000 members in such a short span of time. The viral growth of this group is attributed to the Bacolodnons’ nostalgic inclinations.

Posts have ranged from old places and haunts as well as memorable experiences in the City of Smiles. Interestingly, the post with the most replies had to do with the Ilonggo vocabulary, terms, and phrases. To date, that single post started by Jovi Jaro has gained more than 5,000 comments.

While the group has been growing steadily in numbers, there is also a minority who have been vocal about their leaving the group. Their reason for leaving is the addictive nature of the page. Knowing that old friends and relatives are on board, some individuals have been seriously interrupted with their daily work.

“We have household chores to do but we’re still on this crazy page!”, said one US-based member who exited the group. One just has to try how addictive it is by searching “You Know You're From Bacolod, Philippines If...” on Facebook.

Boracay: The Inside Story

2011-07-27T15:48:00.000+08:00

Image by "Epoy"

Boracay is one of the Philippines' most prized tourist destinations. Prized because local governments thrive whenever there is a tourist spot, as well as it is one of the places that our country can offer to travel-hungry foreigners.

Boracay started out as an island hamlet where only the aetas thrived. It was a quiet, sleepy town which was accessible from the mainland only by makeshift boats. There were two versions of how it became the tourist mecca that it is today: one was that a film crew discovered it in the 70's, and the other was that German traveler and writer Jens Peters' renowned book on the Philippines popularized Boracay. Either way, there has been no stopping the progress. Today, Boracay is no longer a sleepy hamlet. Rather, it is an international community that's wide awake, 24/7.

Boracay as a culture seems to be divided into four:

The Tourists
The Local Filipinos
The Filipino Settlers
The Foreign Settlers

The Tourists come from all walks of life. Be they Filipino Tourists or non-Filipino Tourists, they're on the island to take their vacation and enjoy. They usually come in groups, and they're the ones most likely to wear skimpy clothing. It's amusing to note that even supposedly conservative Filipinas suddenly turn daring and show as much skin as possible on the island. On the other hand, the island never runs out of Koreans, Japanese and Chinese nationals. Sometimes, it's hard to tell which is which. If you come close, you'll get to tell if you're familiar with the language.

The Locals are those who have been on the island for ages. Their parents were born here; their grandparents even have land here. They usually own land, have rental property, or do business as store operators. They're very down to earth and friendly. Some, aspiring to change their lot in life, marry foreigners.

The Filipino Settlers. Some are world-weary party people from Manila who fell in love with the island and decided to stay. Others are beach-loving, rasta culture-embracing extreme sports and kiteboarding enthusiasts. Usually, these hang out with the foreign settlers. They're a close-knit community of "cool" ganja-inhaling and beer-chugging individuals. They hang out at the offbeat bars on White Beach, or the lesser-known bars on the Back Beach. There is a minority of Boracay settlers who are homebodies, however.

The Foreign Settlers are those who are not Filipino, fell in love with the island, got married with Filipinas, or just settled and formed businesses here. They are a close-knit community who know the best spots on the island. Levantin, a bar on the back beach, is where they usually stay. Levantin is owned by a Romanian couple, and they usually employ fellow foreigners. They gel with some of the Filipino settlers and they're one big happy family of "locals" who have called Boracay home.

This is the Boracay that people don't know. There's life beyond the White Beach. The Boracay we know is the Boracay that's been commercialized. Walk away from the powdery beach for a bit and see what else the island has to offer.

Hutik-Hutik: A Beautiful But Sinister House In Boracay

2011-07-21T14:17:00.013+08:00

Image by Turn Back To God

There is a notorious house on Mt. Luho where a foreign businessman was murdered. Different versions of his story were told among the locals and the settlers. It was said that he had angered a business partner and so was killed because of that. On the other hand, it was said that his wife and relatives were involved. Then another version says that a construction worker on his property robbed and murdered him. And still another preposterous version says that the wife was in cahoots with the construction worker. Either way, the man is now dead, and nobody wants to lease his home for long.

Maybe it's the fact that the house is worth Php 120,000 a month, which can probably be negotiated to Php 80,000 a month or even Php 50,000 a month. Then again, the place is also remote and very inaccessible. Maybe it also gives prospective renters the creeps to think that the incident could happen again, given that the house is far from neighbors.

Either way, it's a paradox, but whenever I walk the main road of Boracay and spy that house from where I walk, I am always comforted. I call that house "The Murder House." Well, it's a place where someone was murdered. It's only logical to call it that.

I play with the thought of visiting the place later, and seeing the famed breathtaking views of Boracay. I dream of visiting and asking the surviving owner what really happened.

I also play with the thought of suggesting that they open the place as a tourist spot. Call it the murder house, have a background of the story, then add some murder-themed exhibits around. Or open it as a bed and breakfast for thrill-seekers.

View from Mt. Luho by MyNetBizz

I'd love to stay there for the night, and wake up to a delicious Boracay-style breakfast, watching the panoramic views that the owner built for himself and could no longer enjoy. Sip the coffee that he surely must be missing, savor the morning, then make my way back to the Boracay we all know.

-The Scribbler, with confirmation about the house's location by Rey dela Rosa of Boracay Sun.

The Lowly, But Nutritious, Delicious And Versatile Plantain

2011-07-20T13:52:00.000+08:00

Image by Mabuhay-Manila

Saging na Saba, or plantain, as it is called in English, is a staple snack food in the provinces. There are so many ways to prepare it: Minatamis, Deep fried in caramelized sugar (Banana-Q), as a turon, and even coated with batter and fried (Maruya in Tagalog, Kumbo in Akeanon). Such is the versatility of the vegetable-fruit that it is a well-loved rural dessert.

In Jaro, Iloilo City, there was once a fried banana-Q stand that was there every single day. The owners and operators were an aging couple who would diligently fry their bananas, day in and day out. Daily, people of all ages would come and buy sticks upon sticks of banana-Q's as their afternoon merienda. In the 90's, that was an afternoon fixture.

Fast forward to 20 years after. No longer do we residents pass by and see the couple. There is another banana-Q stand, but it may not be owned by the same people. What happened to the couple? Did they age and need to stay at home? Did they prosper from their humble business? Were they able to put their kids through college and thus move up in life? We'll never know.

There's also another story of a lady who sells different kinds of plantain dishes. This lady, who's probably in her 30's, owns a sari-sari store in Boracay. The store is on Bolabog Extension Road, right along the lake upon which the restaurant and cultural show central Lake Town is located.

Every afternoon, this lovely lady would cook Turon, Banana-Q, and sometimes, Kumbo/Maruya and sell these along with her other wares, which also include a steady supply of other Philippine desserts known as "kakanin."

Residents of the area, especially Boracay's locals, would usually ask her in the afternoons if she already has stocks of their favorite Plantain dessert. And when she does, everyone snaps off her offerings almost immediately.

And we'd just like to share how plantains are far more nutritious than the real banana. Fascinating how you get great nutrition, tasty desserts and fond memories in one vegetable-fruit.

Such are the memories of Philippine Desserts. They will always come with fond memories of the people who made them. In the case of the nutritious Saging na Saba, these are the happy thoughts we can share from the heart of the Iloilo/Panay/Boracay area.

Moonlighting In Boracay

2011-07-14T15:48:00.022+08:00

Iloilo is home to some of the country's best doctors, we mentioned in a previous post. Now we talk about one great opportunity for newly-licensed doctors, in Boracay.

Unbeknownst to most, Boracay is home to a few clinics and one government hospital. Two of the major medical providers hire doctors on a contractual, temporary basis. They call this practice "moonlighting" in the Philippine medical world.

For those doctors who are still thinking about their options for specialization or are just chilling after having passed the medical boards, there is a gold mine of opportunity in Boracay. If you find a way to get connected to Boracay Lying-In Clinic or Metropolitan Medical Doctors, you'll find that for just 15 days of hard work, you'll get a tenured call center agent's salary. How much is that? Multiply the days they work by 2 and add 3 zeroes after the product. Not bad, right?

What to expect when you moonlight in Boracay:

1. Stomach upset cases. Thanks to the dismal waste management system in the area, you'll be meeting with a lot of patients complaining of an upset stomach. According to a doctor friend who worked with the Lying-In Clinic, stomach pain is the worst to diagnose because the abdomen is home to a lot of bodily structures, all vital organs at that.

Tip for the doctors: try thinking Amoebiasis or Hepatitis A first and foremost. Be informed that the residential and commercial wastes all empty out into the sewers. Rare are the structures that have septic tanks here, according to another doctor-friend, so the feces and all other sewage just go through the sewers and go to the treatment plant before they are released into the sea via Bolabog Beach.

2. A case of hypochondriasis in paranoid levels. Of the three doctor-friends who visited the island, all of them do not bathe in the ocean because of the waste management system. One of them doesn't even allow the sea water to touch her feet. When it does, she washes them with antibacterial soap and bathes her feet in alcohol after.

Most of the water is treated before it goes out into the sea. And the sea waves go in other directions in the area where the waste water is dumped. Just don't make the mistake of swimming on Bolabog beach. As Sexynomad says, prefer Angol Beach in Station 3, as opposed to Station 2 or even Station 1.

3. Floods. Yes, it floods in Boracay. Again, blame the sewage system. The doctors who visit the island immediately pop anti-leptospirosis tablets as prophylactics against the rat-borne disease.

4. Locals who will try to fleece you. As soon as you get on the island, grab a copy of the Boracay Sun, available in Budget Mart, Crafts, and other partner establishments. You'll find a very helpful map and an even more helpful price list of local tricycle fares. Don't ride the habal-habal or the motorbikes that serve as PUV's. These are illegal.

Boracay has come a long way from the sleepy hamlet that it was. However, it has to be managed better. Its waters have to be respected more, if the Philippine government aims to keep this as a top tourist destination area. We don't want to give Boracay a bad name, however, we have to be honest and tell things as it is. This is Boracay, spots and all. Still beautiful. Still amazing. We just prefer to grab a book and sit by the shore instead of swim in its waters, however.

Ang Ilongga Nga Promdi: Debunking Misconceptions About Living South Of Manila

2011-06-30T17:36:00.004+08:00

Image by Remate.ph

I may not have lived in Metro Manila as long as Junior Golf Dad/Talonggo had, but I've certainly had my patches of living there. I've had my tries in high school, college, and early in my life as a working yuppie. In the three stretches of time I've lived there, there was one incident that stood out to me: when a high school classmate once meanly said, "Promdi ka kasi."

Being a gal born in Tagum City, Davao del Norte and raised in Iloilo CITY, I totally resented that comment. We "Promdi's" who hail from Iloilo City certainly do not commute using habal-habals and tricycles. In fact, the true-blue Ilongga would be so mortified if she were forced to ride a trike anywhere in Iloilo City Proper! Also, our jeepneys are so snazzy and maarte, many a visitor to Iloilo had been impressed about how our jeepney builders made them look like Hyundai Starex and other SUV knockoffs!

We don't carry our belongings around in bayongs, Ilonggas have such fashion sense they know how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton from 50 meters away! So when he asserted that I, an Ilongga from Iloilo City, was a "Promdi," I was naturally infuriated.

Not to be defensive or regionalistic, but I write this piece to inform our Manilan brethren that we who hail from (the oft-disputed label) Queen City of the South do not live a primitive existence. So much may have changed in the way of perception by now, but still, for the misinformed, here are some facts about the Western Visayas region that you may not have known:

Iloilo City is, indeed a city, with modern conveniences like at least 4 major malls and a sufficient handful of 24-hour establishments.
In our city, we enjoy amenities like high-speed broadband Internet running the gamut from ADSL to 3G. A residential user can even bargain for a 2 MBPS business line if he wanted it.
We have Cable and satellite TV in Iloilo City.
Just this 2011, a Starbucks branch opened in SM City Iloilo's Southpoint building.
We also got our first Apple store just this year, in mint-fresh Plazuela.
We have a nightlife area in Smallville, where you can dance, booze, coffee, and even yogurt/chocolate the night away.
Our food is cheaper than yours.

All in good cheer, friends and countrymen. It honestly stings to recall a misinformed comment such as that. I'm not sure how many other Ilonggos and Negrenses have to deal with that kind of regionalistic discrimination, but having been the recipient of that once, it was not a happy experience.

But as they say, forgive and forget. This post was made to help ensure that more informed Manilans will refrain from making mental pictures that all provinces and cities south of NCR are all ricefields, carabaos, habal-habals and bayongs.

-The Scribbler

Liempo Face-Off: Ramboys vs. La Nena's

2011-06-28T11:49:00.002+08:00

Credits to The Scribbler's Mom

For the avid fans of Visayan cuisine, a gastronomic experience will not be complete without tasting one of the grilled delights that abound in the Visayas. From Cebu, to Panay to Bacolod, the home specialties claim one version of something grilled or roasted. Cebu boasts of the crispy CNT Lechon, Bohol's Lechon de Leche's are to-die-for, Bacolod has their inasal and inihaw havens, and Panay Island has Ramboys and La Nena's.

Both Ramboys and La Nena's reportedly hail from Aklan, though a source says it's from Antique. Either way, when Ramboys hit Iloilo, the slabs of liempo never stopped getting snatched off the hot grill by 6PM. If you wanted a slab for dinner, you have to get to the outlet way before 6PM so you could still catch one. Ramboys is THAT hot!

What is the allure of these two liempo brands that has taken the Ilonggo -- and its visitors' -- palates by storm?

When I first tasted Ramboys, my eyes flew wide open because of three main things: the tenderness of the pork meat, the crispiness of the skin, and the beautiful porcine aroma that met every bite. I didn't need the sauce at all, I was chomping down on heaven in bites!

La Nena's, on the other hand, is more preferred in Aklan, where the two brands compete head-to-head. The La Nena's liempo isn't as crispy or as tender as Ramboys, but the meat has a distinct flavor that can be attributed to a lengthy marination. I remember the meat as succulent with a tangy hint of lemongrass. Certainly delectable, and it's not hard to see why others prefer La Nena's to Ramboys.

However, it would be worth noting that Ramboys has moved on to conquer other locations in the region. As mentioned, Ramboys has opened and is now a fixture in Iloilo City. There is also a Ramboys in Roxas City, where it's fast becoming part of the local cuisine.

I remember a legend about how roast pork came about: Set in a province in China, a boy was minding his family's sucking pigs when his house burned down and the pigs with their house and things. He tried to see how he could salvage the pigs but the pork skin was so hot to the touch, he had to put his fingers in his mouth to cool them. He tasted the flavor of the burnt pigs and realized it was tasty and started eating them. His father caught him, and tried to stop him from desecrating the dead suckling pigs, but the hotness of the pig flesh caused him to do the same thing his son did. So they feasted on their precious suckling pigs instead. That was how the modern-day lechon was born, reportedly.

While that story may or may not be true, one thing is certain: in these islands we call home, roast pig is a delicacy we will continue to enjoy. From bagnet to lechon to liempo, slabs of roast pork will be on the fiesta table for years to come.

-The Scribbler

Local Aliens Amongst Us -- Migration Between Iloilo And Bacolod

2011-06-26T18:00:00.001+08:00

Iloilo City and Bacolod City are like twin sisters. Both have people who speak Hiligaynon, both are heavily Hispanized, and both still have vestiges of its glorious past. Both cities also value education, and when transported to Manila, people from both cities claim to be Ilonggo. It takes a fellow Visayan to tell the difference between an Ilonggo from Iloilo and an Ilonggo from Bacolod.

Loyal Negrenses call themselves "Negrense" or "Bacolodnon." Ilonggos prefer to be called such. Those who don't want to bother with semantics don't mind what they're called. They know they're Visayan (Western Visayan) and are indubitably proud of it.

While we know about the mass migration to Metro Manila, where money is easy and jobs abound, little do we notice the migration from the other provinces to either Iloilo or Negros.

In Iloilo, Negrenses come and stay for the education. It must be the fact that UP in the Visayas, San Agustin and Central Philippine University are considered the best universities in the region. That, or maybe these adventurous Negrenses want to get away from their parents and see how it is to live independent lives. Negrense migrants also come over for jobs. One of the biggest employers in the region, SM City Iloilo, is home to a lot of migrant workers from all over the other provinces. I've met not only Negrenses, but also Cebuanos and Mindanaoans.

If you find an Ilonggo wandering in Bacolod, you'd be sure that 50 to 90% of the time, they're there because of either Convergys, Teleperformance or another BPO that chose to take root in Bacolod over Iloilo. Because of massive hiring for Convergys, Iloilo's most talented agents opted to pack up and go for Bacolod instead.

Rumor has it that Convergys and the other big-name call centers chose Bacolod over Iloilo because of electricity rates and reliability. In 2009 to 2010, power was so bad and expensive in Iloilo City that a good number of investors chose Bacolod instead.

Just an aside, Convergys pays top dollar for capable agents. What an Ilonggo agent could earn in Iloilo, he gets to earn double in Bacolod. Plus, Convergys pays for their move. Not hard to see why Ilonggos drop everything and leave for Bacolod.

Philippine culture is meshing and merging at a faster pace nowadays. The young and restless urban professional is ever on the search for greener and more satisfying shores that it's not hard to understand why there are Local Aliens Amongst Us.

-The Scribbler

The Ilonggo Doctor

2011-06-23T08:13:00.000+08:00

Image by Doctor & Nurse Books

The medical field has always been a lucrative one. It is not only a childhood dream to become a doctor, but the M.D. carries with it a certain prestige that even middle-aged people go back to school and pursue their childhood dreams of becoming doctors. Though there was a time that doctors went back to study nursing in hopes of better lives abroad, the trend in recent times has been that Philippine M.D.'s are starting to desire to serve in local shores.

The demand for a medical doctor is high because it's a specialized field with a need to invest a good chunk of one's resources just to get the diploma and the license. A doctor's parents' money, his effort, and his years go into obtaining that license to diagnose and treat people's diseases.

A bigger reason for the premium is that a great doctor is so hard to find. Having experienced getting sick in Boracay Island and not finding anyone who was able to diagnose me properly until I reached Iloilo City, I could attest to the fact that it takes a sharp, experienced specialist to zero in on a patient's ills. It also grieves me that so few doctors are so sharp that you just rattle off your complaints and they could already figure it out. One such doctor is now the mayor of the municipality of Dingle in Iloilo City. He is so famed for his sharpness, that even as a general practitioner, he is more trusted than the newer specialists.

It may be passion for the craft that makes them as good as they are. Maybe it's the wisdom of the years of treating patients, either way, they are gems of society, and if you know a great doctor, you are fortunate.

Maybe you don't realize it, but Iloilo City is the hub for Medical School graduates and licensed doctors. Like banks, we have clinics in every street corner. This is because Western Visayas State University's Medical School is among the best in the country. For some medical school students, this is second best to University of the Philippines' Medical Program (UP-PGH). People from University of the East may debate this, but WVSU is among their toughest competitors.

WVSU boasts of the Problem-Based Learning type of curriculum. This is a format that only UP-PGH and UERMMC are the other known schools who carry this. This is a system of schooling that gives more time for hands-on, experiential and more creative means to learn. Traditional Medicine curriculums tend to have day-long lectures. For PBL, medical students need to be in the classroom for half a day, while the other half of the day, they are tasked to study. Or not. They also have focused group discussions and other learning methods that may prove more effective because they depart from boring one-sided lecturing.

It is because of WVSU's presence in Iloilo City that it churns out some of the country's best physicians. I am proud to be a spectator of this trend, and I'm happy I have doctor-friends. I'm happier too, that for the times I got sick, I was treated by excellent Ilonggo doctors.

It is always nice to belong to a people known for their excellence. And for this reason, I am proud to be an Ilonggo.

-The Scribbler

Caring For The Philippines' Treasures: Is It High Time To Have Dog Pounds?

2011-06-14T05:41:00.001+08:00

The Philippines is a beautiful country. It's funny that it took foreigners to "discover" areas here that are a wonder to behold: Boracay Island was first made public when a foreign movie crew learned of its existence. Jens Peters, a German traveler, included rave reviews of the island in his book. Thanks to people from other nations, the beauty of the Philippine Islands is now well-known.

And yet, we don't really seem to be great stewards of these treasures. For example, in Boracay Island, though the White Beach is still very much amazing with its white, powdery sand that you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, has grown ugly to behold with all the crowded commercial establishments. Other areas of Boracay are also less than pleasant to see; some areas are flooded, and there are slummy-looking districts as well.

One other thing that makes me sad about how we take our treasures for granted would be the fact that our government allows stray dogs to just roam the streets freely.

It is no different here in Boracay. Despite the laws keeping pet owners from bringing their furry friends on Front Beach, there are no people responsible for the street mutts who do as they please on the prized powdery sands of Boracay.

What this country needs is a more effective execution of the law.

And some dog pounds. Cruel as it may be to round up the dogs and execute them when nobody claims them as pets, there are some things that are more important than animal compassion. For one, human health should be held with high regard and priority.

A lot of gastrointestinal ailments come from fecal matter. Coliform grows off of fecal matter. Amoebiasis is from the protozoan Amoeba, which lives off of fecal matter. Hepatitis A, or a variant of a viral inflammation of the liver, is transmitted by fecal matter that has traveled from its source, to a food preparer's hand, then to food. Or from fecal matter that somehow finds its way into food and gets ingested.

While we certainly cannot blame just the dogs for the spread of diseases like these, especially since human fecal matter would be more to blame for diseases like Hepatitis A, it is still an imperative to take action on the spread of animal, especially canine, dung. It may be irritating to hear something said repeatedly, but I cannot stress it enough: the poop we don't clean off our streets are not just mounds of annoyance; they are health hazards.

It's easy to have a bleeding heart for dogs who could get executed when the Philippines finally develops a pound system when you have never been visited by a disorder that could have come from their poop. But when you've been inconvenienced by sharp, stabbing abdominal pain, and have said seen thousands of pesos go down the drain for your hospitalization and medical therapy, you may start to change your mind.

-The Scribbler

Tabi-Tabi Sa Not Like Ours And Other Superstitions

2011-06-09T06:41:00.003+08:00

Image by The Diary Of A Super Girl

Being a daughter of Mindanao and Visayas, I was exposed to the local superstitions early on. Though I hardly believed them, I was taught by my caretakers that "dwarves," "elves" and "white ladies" abound, and if I walked through the night, I should keep saying "tabi-tabi" in order to warn the "Not Like Ours*," or the supernatural beings, that I'm passing through.

My caretakers warned me that if I stepped on any of these creatures, they would harm me or my family. Supposedly, offending the "Engkantos" would cause them to infect you with boils or unexplainable sicknesses. Other superstitions of a similar nature were that these fairies or enchanted creatures live in trees. And if I play too near these, they could kidnap me. According to my Ilongga aunts, should I get kidnapped by the fairies, I should never, ever eat their food, or else I'll be trapped in their world forever.

I am not sure if people who were born and lived in Metro Manila could relate to these superstitions. I believe that people from the provinces of Luzon did believe in these, as "tabi-tabi po" is part of the language. Either way, these superstitions that were alive, well and believed in in the 1980's and even the 1990's certainly remain figments of the imagination today.

As a child I certainly did not believe the folklore I was told. However, admittedly, there were days when I made sure I played a little farther from the mango tree that was supposedly the "fairy kingdom," and there were days when I prayed the fairies would never take a liking to me.

I did wonder why they didn't pick me. Was it because I wasn't fair enough? Or pretty enough? Or fairy-worthy? I would never know. The only thing I know is that I'm glad I never had to make the decision whether to eat their food or not.

-The Scribbler

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*"Not Like OURS" was really the term the people in my Mindanao town used to refer to fairies, elves and the like. I'm not sure where it came from, but it must be a Filipinized version of "Not Like US."

Not Exactly Hiligaynon

2011-06-07T06:40:00.000+08:00

Image by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

The Hiligaynon language is heavily influenced by the Mother Spain. Indeed, traces of our Spanish Colony past are still emblazoned all over Iloilo City and Bacolod City. It was Cito Beltran who once noted that Iloilo is a city that is home to so many skeletons of its glorious past: the neglected old homes that have long been abandoned to caretakers. Thus, it is no surprise that imprints of our heavily Spanish past are still all over our language.

I recall one of my college (or was it high school?) teachers lamenting that the Ilonggo language has heavily borrowed from Spanish. Everything from the banyo (toilet) to the kusina (kitchen) is actually a Spanish word. Nobody uses the true-blue Hiligaynon word for these common terms, he lamented. Sadly, the Visayan versions of the Spanish words were much easier to use than the true-blue, "official" Hiligaynon translations. Thus, the Hiligaynon language, as it is currently used, is not purely Hiligaynon.

There are two words in this region that were distinct to me: "Algodon" in Iloilo, and "Merkado" in Bacolod.

Algodon is Spanish for cotton. I first wondered about how peculiar it is that it is spoken in Iloilo, when I saw a diskette (remember the 3 1/2 inch and 5 1/2 inch floppy disks?) case sticker with care instructions in different languages. I saw the word "Algodon," and up to today, thought it was German. It was only when I did a quick check for accuracy's sake that I discovered that the word was actually Spanish. That being said, it is funny to me that it is only in Iloilo that the word is used.

Merkado is a word you hardly hear from Ilonggos or anyone from the rural municipalities of Panay. Neither is it in the vocabulary of the people in Aklan. However, you would most likely hear this spoken by Bacolodnons. Mercado is Spanish for market. It is spelled with a "k" because Filipinized words have their c's translated to k's. And if you recall, we talked about how Bacolodnons dress up for going to the Merkado.

Marks on our language are part and parcel of the legacy of our colonial past. While the nacionalistas may abhor it, frankly, Filipinos will never be who we are, without the influence of the people who colonized us. Since the past is, indeed, past, there is nothing better to do than to embrace our heritage and enjoy it for what it's worth.

-The Scribbler

***

For a complete list of Spanish words incorporated into the Hiligaynon language, here's a list from Sun-Star Bacolod.

IlongGOLF : Understanding Ilonggos' Passion for the Game

2011-06-03T15:34:00.003+08:00

In my talk about "Why Visayans Should Blog" at last year's Visayas Blogging Summit, I made mention of golf first coming to the Philippines by way of the Sta. Barbara golf course in Iloilo. The British engineers carved a neat golf course out of Sta. Barbara's verdant terrain.

Little wonder then that Ilonggos have displayed their fancy antics for golf here and abroad. Luis "Golem" Silverio, son of a sugar planter in Bacolod was the first Asian to step on Augusta's hallowed greens in 1966, long before any other Thai, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean made it there. Then there's the late Vinice Godio who has been dominating Sta. Elena's Ladies Championship for so long a time. My nephew, Justin Limjap recently won his chance to play in Japan in the hopes of getting a slot in the British Open. The names go on.

Then of course, this item from the other week when my son played in Sta. Elena....

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Even with an allergy and runny nose, my son played beautifully today in Sta. Elena at the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines' Golf Challenge. Applause filled the room during the awarding ceremonies when his name was called and walked to the stage to receive the trophy as Class C 1st Runner-Up. I guess no one expected an 8 year old to walk up and place in a tournament played by grown-ups.

He beat the rest of us including ECCP Tournament Chairman, William Bailey, who is shown here as the 2nd Runner Up in Class C. :) Said William Bailey : "Hard to believe an 8 year old can beat a 46 year old".

More Than A Princess: The Binukot Of Western Visayas

2011-06-02T21:42:00.001+08:00

Image by Erwin Cabarles

Growing up in a culture-conscious high school, we were taught and tasked to perform the traditional legends of our country. Since I graduated from the Western Visayas Campus of Philippine Science High School, our higher-year Filipino subjects had lessons of our local historic folklore.

In High School, we performed an excerpt of the Hinilawod. Hinilawod is a treasured epic of the Visayas, especially to Panay Island. It is the story of how Panay came to be. It is as captivating as the Ramayana, only, it wasn't glorified as much.

Though I never really understood the story, it was through our exposure of the epic that we learned about the existence of the Binukot.

In the ethnic tribes in the Panay hinterlands, there is a family tradition of setting apart one girl to be a Binukot. A Binukot is a woman who, from childhood, is not allowed to work, not allowed to be seen by other people, is waited on hand and foot, given only the choicest of food, carried around in a hammock because her feet should never touch the ground, is basically treated like a princess, but whose could never be seen by people other than her immediate family, could never go to school, and couldn't even be allowed sun exposure.

The role of the Binukot is to memorize all the traditional folklore, which is handed down from generation to generation only by the spoken word. What makes the Binukots even more important is that they are the only ones who will ever have the honor of memorizing and retelling the epics and the stories.

What is more, the Binukot is also the tribe's witch doctor. So more than learning the tribe's history, they also get to be the tribe's medicine women, rain whisperers, and all-around supernaturally powerful beings.

Thus, the Binukot seems to be a mix of both princess, sage and scribe, only there is nothing to write. They themselves are the living parchment, the keys to their tribes' precious history.

The Binukot was thus a crucial part of tribal history for Iloilo's tribes. It is sad, then, that when the Japanese invaded these shores, they were among the first to be violated, because they lacked the skills and the strength to fight and survive. Not only that, since a Binukot is selected because of her exceptional beauty, you do not need to guess why they were among the first victims of the cruel invaders of World War II.

Before we go on, let me say that the Japanese of today are a beautiful, highly respected and respectful people. The Japanese of the era when the nations were so into imperialism are, as we are discussing, history.

There are still some remaining Binukots who have accepted the "calling" in order to continue tradition. Others were "forced" to accept, and others were willing. But young ladies like Lola Elena Gardoce's granddaughter Emily no longer want to accept the call to be a Binukot. Though the royal treatment is tempting, the chance to go to school is more important to them.

Lola Elena is dubbed as Panay's most famous Binukot because of an award she received from the Cultural Center of the Philippines for her work in reciting the Sugidanon.

Efforts to teach the epic chanters to transmit their traditions into recordable means have since been launched. Audio of the epics have been recorded, and a good number of them have been written into books. When we had our high school plays, our sources were books.

Such is the rich culture of these islands. Surely, not only Panay boasts of these cultural treasures, but also the rest of the country. Take time to scratch the surface and get to know our people.

-The Scribbler