Miagao: Eggplant Capital celebrates 1st Talong Festival

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

Barangay Oyungan, Miagao, Iloilo will celebrates its first Tarong Festival on March 24-26, 2017. This year’s theme, “Pasidunggan kag Pasalamatan,” will focus on the thriving industry of eggplant production of the Barangay.

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

Join the fun. Stop by to enjoy their original, old-fashioned festival celebration with daily activities for everyone. March 24 (Friday) Mass at 7 a.m., Caravan at 8 a.m., Opening of Agro-Trade Fair at 9 a.m., Battle of the Mini Sound at 11 a.m., Barangay Night at 7 p.m.; March 25 (Saturday) Cavalcade of Dances from Oyungan Elementary School at 7 a.m., A Talk on the History of Taring by Mr. Vicente Natino, President, PASAKA-UBOS Irrigators Association at 9 a.m. Barangay Plaza, Eggplant Picking for visitors and guests, Symposium on Planting and Marketing Eggplant at 3 p.m., Lin-ay Kang Tarong Festival 2017 at 6 p.m.; March 26 (Sunday) Mass at 9:30 a.m., Sugbahan sa Binit Dalan and Boodle Fight, Raffle and Pinaka Contest at 11 a.m., Awarding at 7 p.m.

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

The eggplant fields in Barangay Oyungan have provided the whole town of Miagao with the product all year round. Honoring the most abundant product of the Barangay, the Tarong Festival is a celebration of the land of Oyungan, honouring its agricultural traditions and the farmers. It is one of the fastest growing areas of the town producing rice, corn and truckloads of eggplants. Harvest season produces 100 sacks of eggplants daily.

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

Belonging to the nightshade family like tomatoes, potatoes and bell peppers, eggplants locally known as talong, it is a vegetable long prized for its beauty as well as its unique taste and texture. Eggplants are native to the Indian subcontinent, but are now found throughout the world in a number of different cultural cuisines. In England, the vegetable is called “aubergine.” It reached the Middle East and the Mediterranean region approximately 800 years ago, and was being referenced in England by the 16th century.

Eggplants grow by hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height. It is best known for its dark purple color but comes in a variety of shapes from small and oblong to long and skinny. The flesh is cream colored and spongy in consistency with seeds arranged in a conical pattern. It has a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture. Eggplant can be baked, roasted in the oven, or steamed.

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

Eggplant has a unique range of health benefits, including an ability to help build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, reduce symptoms of anemia, increase cognitive function, improve cardiovascular health, protect the digestive system, help lose weight, manage diabetes, reduce stress, protect infants from birth defects, and even prevent cancer.

Photos by Zhaly Salaya

Situated six kilometers away from the poblacion on the way to the next municipality, Barangay Oyungan is a friendly, old-fashioned agricultural and fishing community. It is the 3rd biggest in terms of population numbering to 420 households of 2,000 residents. 

To get to the barangay, one can take a Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miagao or San Joaquin jeepneys at the Don Benito Q. Acap Sr. Southern Iloilo Perimeter Boundary in Barangay Mohon, Oton or when in the city, at the market situated at the back of Robinsons Place Iloilo. For more information, please contact Hon. Remia Nuevaespana – Barangay Captain at 09079981900.

Island Fun for Barangay Asluman’s Tikab-Tikab Festival

Barangay Asluman, Gigante Norte, Carles, Iloilo will showcase their sea bounties in the 3rd Tikab-Tikab Festival on March 17-19, 2017.

As one of Iloilo’s most popular seafood events, the people of Carles are so proud of their beautiful island beaches and seafoods and it seems fitting to host an island festival showcasing some of its island favourite, their signature scallops and wasay-wasay shellfood. Toss in special events and you have the Tikab-Tikab Festival – the only seafood festival in the northern island of Iloilo.

Get ready to experience Gigantes’ best seafood with its 3-day festival celebration starting March 17 (Friday) Foot Parade at 7-9 a.m., Opening Program at 9-10 a.m., Presentation by Secondary Schools at 10-12 noon, Presentation by Elementary Schools at 1-5 p.m., Coronation Night at 6-9 p.m., Disco at 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.; March 18 (Saturday) Basketball, Swimming and Surfing Competition at 8 a.m. to 12 noon, Bangkaton Race at 1-5 p.m., Lin-ay Sang 3rd Tikab Tikab Festival 2017 at 5-9 p.m., Disco at 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.; March 19 (Sunday) Diving Competition at 7 -9 a.m., Tilang/ Gunting Tikab Contest at 8-9 a.m., Cooking Contests at 9-10 a.m., Lunch at 10 a.m. – 12 noon, Binalaybay Competition from 1-5 p.m., Coronation Night of the King and Queen of the 3rd Tikab -Tikab Festival 2017 at 5 – 9 p.m., Disco at 9 pm – 4 a.m.

Tikab-Tikab Festival recognizes the importance of scallops and Wasay-wasay to the people of Gigantes. It was organized to develop and conduct a celebration every year, to promote the positive economic impact of the seafood industry on the people of Gigantes; publicize the wide variety of seafood indigenous to Gigantes and provide the opportunity for people to enjoy it; boost tourism and recreation in Gigante Group of Islands in Carles.

Each year that the festival continues the layout along the beautiful islands of Gigantes, it continues to grow. On its third year, Tikab-Tikab has seen an increase in both activities and guests each year. Organizers reach out to their local talent and accommodation establishments to sustain and seek new ways to showcase Tikab-Tikab, and all it has to offer.

This year’s celebration with the theme “Dunang Manggad Palambo-on, Turismo Pasanyugon, para sa Masanag nga Buas Damlag Naton,” is a showcase of Gigantino’s talent and skills. 

It is hosted along the beach area of Barangay Asluman and is free to the public. The use of its scenic water front land with fun-filled activities for the people in the community is nothing short of amazing. It also provides guests with quality experiences.

The Gigante Group of Islands, located 21 kilometers northeast from Bancal Port in Carles, Iloilo, is among the most scenic and unique of all the islands of the province. This famous island group is a major tourist destination consisting of Gigante Norte and Gigante Sur. Each of the Gigante Group has its own distinct appeal for travellers.

When you are looking for inviting beaches bathed by year-round sun, Gigante Sur awaits. But if you dream of picturesque fishing villages, Gigante Norte is a favourite holiday destination itinerary for travellers both local and foreign. It is a 60-90 minute motorized pumpboat ride from Bancal wharf in mainland Carles.

Gigante Norte is considered to be one of the biggest islands in the island chain of the Gigantes. It is separated by a 5-mile channel or a 20-minute pumpboat ride from Gigante Sur.  Norte is politically subdivided into two barangays: Granada and Asluman. The best way to get around and enjoy the natural and historical attractions in the island is to take motorcycle ride.

Carles is the last town north of the province of Iloilo. It is 147.6 kilometers away or a 3-hour bus ride from Northern Iloilo Public Transport Terminal in the new Ceres Terminal in Barangay Camalig, Jaro, Iloilo City. It is politically subdivided into 33 barangays with a land area of 11,202 hectares.

To get to island, one can take motorized boat ride from Bangkal Fishing Port in the mainland. For more information, please contact Hon. Abelardo A. Montebon, Barangay Captain, Barangay Asluman, Gigante Norte, Carles, Iloilo at 09483553703.

Bringing History to Life with Tigbauan’s Pagdaug - Saludan Festival

Tigbauan, Iloilo will host its 3^rd Pagdaug-Saludan Festival with fun-filled activities on March 13-18, 2017. Tigbauanons have such passion for life their daily aim is to enhance life through joyful gatherings such as this festive celebration.

Given the town’s innate party spirit, it is no surprise that Tigbauan will host these series of special activities: March 6-19 with Festival Food Festival; March 13-19 Festival Agritourism and Trade Fair; March 13 (Monday) Opening Salvo and Street Dancing Competition at 9 a.m., PSF2K17 Car show at 6 p.m., Miss Pagdaug-Saludan Festival Queen Festival Attire and Talent Competition at 8 p.m.; March 14 (Tuesday) Sinadya sa Saludan featuring Remix Band with Stand-up Comedian Beyonz at 7 p.m., Tigbauan Covered Gym; March 15 (Wednesday) Pagdaug-Saludan Festival Queen 2017 at 7 p.m., Municipal Covered Gym.

March 16 (Friday) SCFA1 Tigbauan 24^th Foundation Day celebration at 8 a.m., Sireyna Queen Pagdaug-Saludan at 8 p.m.; March 17 (Saturday) Distribution of Free Patent at 9 a.m., Drum and Lyre Competition at 2 p.m., Tigbauan Music Festival at 5 p.m.;  March 18 (Sunday) Victory Run at 5:30 a.m., Mass at 6:30 a.m., Foot Parade and Floral Offering at 7:30 a.m., Tribal Dance-Drama Competition at 3 p.m., Awarding Ceremony at 6 p.m.

The covered gymnasium is an action packed part of the festival week with the celebration’s highlight, the tribal-dance drama presentation. The Pagdaug segment of the tribe competition is a dance-drama presentation dedicated to the memory of all Tigbauanons in war and conflicts who sacrificed their lives in defense of their beloved town.

Life on the home front during World War II was a significant part of the war effort for all Ilonggos and had a major impact on the outcome of the war. It was a total war between the Filipino guerrillas with the Americans Forces against the Japanese. It was said that around thirty thousand Japanese troops held the vital coastal towns including Iloilo City in the island of Panay.

It was on 18 March 1945 when the 40th Infantry Division, spearheaded by the 185th Infantry Regiment landed unopposed at the shores of barangay Parara in Tigbauan. Around 23,000 strong guerrilla forces had secured most of areas in Iloilo under Col. Macario Peralta. Some 1,500 Japanese troops surrendered.

The Saludan segment will showcase Tigbauans’ unique culture presented in fishing or agricultural scenes with its diversified livelihood strategy of Panalud,  a Hiligaynon word coined from Salud or the traditional way of gathering or accumulating a thing for its interest or value such as threshing rice using a basket or catching fingerlings through nets.

In rural communities, traditional hand methods of cultivating and harvesting rice are still practiced. The fields are prepared by plowing using wooden plows drawn by water buffalo. Rice when it is still covered by the brown hull is known as paddy; rice fields are also called paddy fields or rice paddies. The paddy rice is spread on some sort of concrete or pavement and raked over until dry. Rice drying is all over the roads during harvest season. Before marketing, the rice is threshed to loosen the hulls—mainly by flailing, treading, or working in a mortar—and winnowed free of chaff by tossing it in the air above a sheet or mat, this method is locally known as Panalud.

Panalud is also done for Inland capture fisheries group activity of extracting fish and other living organisms from surface waters of coastlines. Small scale fishermen use traditional fish traps made of natural construction materials using indigenous knowledge system are traditionally employed to catch fishes in inland water bodies.  These indigenous fishing devices normally made up of bamboo cast in triangular shape wrapped in net of smaller mesh size is used to catch fingerlings.

Tigbauan is 22.5 kilometers or a 30-minuter ride south of Iloilo City. Comprised of 52 barangays spread over its 6,062 hectare land area it is bordered in the northwest by Leon; the northeast by San Miguel; east by Oton; west by Guimbal and the Iloilo Strait in the south.

Plan your visit to Tigbauan this week to coincide with series of special events and take part and enjoy a variety of it which showcases the culture of this local community.

To get to the town, one can take a Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miagao or San Joaquin jeepneys at the Don Benito Q. Acap Sr. Southern Iloilo Perimeter Boundary in Barangay Mohon, Oton or when in the city, at the market situated at the back of Robinsons Place Iloilo. For more information, please contact Mrs. Linda Fe Camina – Municipal Tourism Officer at  09173283997.