MIDWAY: A Way Forward in Going Organic for Passi City

The newly-opened MIDWAY Convenient Store in Passi City encourages people to switch to organic food as much as possible because it supports the local small organic farms and also enhances the consumer’s health. The range of organic produce in Passi City is growing year to year with more farms growing to meet the increased demand for organic food in Iloilo.

'Farmpreneur’ Ricardo Palmares Jr. is one of the very few local farms in Passi to raise organic fruits and vegetables. Advertising ‘city friendly’ fare grown without pesticides or fertilizers, they specialize in organic vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers, bitter gourd or ampalaya and eggplants. Since its initial opening in May 2010, this ‘veteran’ farmer has seen a shift in the organic scene in Passi City. MIDWAY, currently managed by Miss Pam Palmares opened to fill a ‘niche market’, and initially business was ‘very hard’. But now, more people are more aware about what organic is all about.

MIDWAY is also the first in Passi City to open a public organic farm, combining the educational and recreational purposes. Visitors can explore their farm on their own or avail of their free guided tour with in-house tour guide. Visitors can experience real country life and enjoy fresh harvest. Its scenic area is composed of greenhouse area; banana, papaya and rambutan fruit farm. It is special because they are organically grown, so that visitors can witness our hardworking farmers growing organic crops, without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Their soon-to-open fresh market restaurant will provide some “green” shopping or have a nice meal here after your tour and activities is surely not a bad idea!

Passi city’s consciousness is more in tune with the organic ethos now than it used to be. Business is growing – slowly but steadily. Other popular produce from the Sweet City of Passi include pineapples, bananas, pomelos and rambutans. Thanks to the growing market for naturally cultivated food. The craze for organic food hit the Sweet City of Passi, a fruit-growing component city of 87,000 people in the central portion of Iloilo province, was perfectly suited to benefit through MIDWAY.

The city government of Passi under the leadership of its very dynamic municipal mayor, Hon. Jesry T. Palmares is in full support of this program and started featuring their other local produce at MIDWAY that has become a clearly designated area for the city’s local produce.

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. The use of organic technologies can help the farmers to produce profitable organic fruits and vegetables, putting money in their pockets and reducing risks to their health posed by use of common chemical agents.

When buying organic food, try to buy local organic food because it supports a healthy environment and avoids the use of polluting transport. And when you go organic, the culinary world seems idyllic: local farmers grow fresh produce without the use of pesticides or chemicals, while animals, raised for meat or dairy are not pumped with growth hormones. It is a regulated industry focused on eco-friendly farming and healthy living. Who wouldn’t buy that?

MIDWAY is located just at the main road side of Barangay Bacuranan and offers its spacious car park for cars and buses. For more information, please contact Miss Mae Pojol-Buenaflor, City Tourism Officer at 09213543537.

BUCARI: The Freshness and Vastness of Leon

photo by Ramon Ramirez

Most people have different judgments about the ideal vacation destination because everyone has other yearnings for an agreeable retreat. Even the same person has different fascinations and does not want always the same destination or even similar kind of holiday.

In Iloilo, the popular choice for a vacation destination is in areas with beaches, right? A cool vacation destination has a lot to offer too. After all, if you live in the city year round with a sunny climate, you might be hankering after a cool and relaxed vacation destination yet, are not usually overrun by tourists.

Many travelers love a vacation in the mountains and in Iloilo, the town of Leon is a popular destination for such kind of vacation. The mountains offer fresh and healthy air. It is just if you have extra energy when you breathe and your mind feel relaxed and you get rid of all the stress in your body.

photo by Ramon Ramirez

A 48-minute hop by jeepney from Jaro market terminal is all it takes to get to Leon. The town is 28.2 kilometers southwest of Iloilo City. Comprised of 85 barangays, Leon has a land area of 14,013 hectares and offers some of the best, and often the most extreme, trekking in Iloilo and offers plenty of opportunities to explore pristine wilderness areas.

photo by Ramon Ramirez

And there is no denying the otherworldly beauty of the pine and mist-covered mountains of Bucari, a barangay known to be the most popular area and the highest portion of the town is on a 1,200-metre-above sea level location surrounded with evergreens. The area features a subtropical highland climate. It is because of this that Bucari is nicknamed the "Little Baguio of Iloilo" owing to its high elevation. From the zigzag road, to the pine trees, and not to mention the cool climate, it really resembles Baguio.

Some tourists take up the challenge of going to Bucari with no particular accommodation in mind to go to. Once in there, they roam around and hike to scout for a place to stay. It is a fun place to visit when in Leon. It boasts of other attractions but nature is stunning. It has cool climate---on some days it even gets foggy---the area around is a popular summer retreat from the heat of the nearby city.

From the town’s terminal fronting its market, one can take an hour and a half ride to the pines---the most common and important of tree specie found in Bucari. With its temperate areas, they are the fast-growing softwoods that grow in its relatively dense stands. Pines in the area have long-lived, typically reaching ages of more than a hundred years, some even more. Declared as an Eco-tourist zone, this 10,432.875-hectare land is more eco-friendly than its Banaue counterpart because of the agro-forest character of the farms diversified by fruit trees in between the terraces.

photo by Ramon Ramirez

And because of the area’s mountainous landscape, farmers grow their crops at the hills and mountainside in terraces. Its cool climate is fitting for growing rice and other high-value produce such as fruits and vegetables. Many of which are sold in the city markets such as carrots, cabbage, Baguio beans, chilies, eggplant and chayote or vegetable pear locally known as sayote.

The town’s market day at Fridays are filled with rambunctious group of merchants and middlemen flogging chickens in exchange for clothes or shoes, fresh vegetables by the baskets and the sweetest mangoes in the province.

Who can resist the brilliant culture and attractions of Leon. Visit the area and you will experience some cold temps. It is wonderful experience to discover new cultures or to make a tour in your own area. You can visit the highlights of one destination with a mix of different activities. The freshness and vastness of Leon is certainly alluring, and it is not that far away for most Ilonggos.

For more information, please contact the Office of the Municipal Mayor at (033) 3310033 or the Office of Culture, arts, History and Tourism, Province of Iloilo at (033) 3384910.

HINABOL: Weaving Culture and History of Iloilo

photo by Manny Librodo, outfits by Angelette Borja-Ragus

Clothing and textiles are vital elements of any culture. It identifies the history and the influences of some communities.

People learned to weave thousands of years ago. And in the Philippines, the 18th century saw the golden age of weaving where the artisans of Panay were already well known for it. It was said that when Spanish colonizers arrived, they found that the weaving industry in Iloilo was already well established and observed that hand-loomed textile were already traded by the Ilonggos with other groups of people in the archipelago.

Iloilo at that time experienced the advent of large-scale weaving and this brought a great impact to the area and its economy. In the 19th century, Iloilo was referred to as the “Textile Capital of the Philippines.” “Habol” or “hinabol” is any hand-woven fabric made of fibrous natural materials such as the jusi from banana fiber and piña from pineapple fiber. The art of hand weaving fiber, which is carefully extracted from these tropical plants has seen a tradition in the provinces of Aklan, Iloilo and Antique for more than a hundred years and is now considered as one of the oldest surviving crafts in the country.

The island of Panay was the chief source of quality handloom fabrics, which were sought after throughout the Philippines and beyond. It has long been considered a mecca for skilled weavers. It is the largest producers of the finest piña fabric – a fine and transparent fabric made from the leaves of red pineapple variety native only to the island. The biggest yardage is from the province of Aklan.

On the other hand, Iloilo is known for its exquisite, silk-like hablon---a hand woven fabric from polyester yarn indigenous to the towns of Miag-ao and Oton and the colorful patadyong---a multi-colored handloom cotton weaved usually with narrow width widely hand woven in Iloilo and the Province of Antique.

photo by Manny Librodo

Weaving is an integral part of the cultural identity here. It is a time consuming, laborious process that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, but one that is a source of great pride. Everything is done by hand. It is a family activity where each member has a role to play in the process. It generally takes a patient and skilled weaver a number of days to produce a meter of material. The finished product is a reflection of hundreds of years of knowledge and skill, mixed with the flavors and influences of modern life.

photo by Manny Librodo

Weaving is done using two sets of threads interlaced; the warp which is run lengthways, and the weft that runs across one end to the other. The fabric is woven on a wooden loom, a device that holds the warp threads in place while filling threads are woven through them. The way the warp and filling threads from the weft interlace with each other is called the weave. The woven cloth can be in any color, plain or in decorative patterns.

Our hand-loomed fabrics have evolved to become a key player in the Philippine textile industry especially in the 1950’s until the 1970’s. However, due to the predominance in the world market of less-labor intensive, machine-woven textiles. It suffered a decline in the1980’s. This resulted to a dramatic fall off in the number of weavers who scouted for better livelihood opportunities. The lack of interest among the younger generation to take up the weaving trade was also and added factor to its decline.

It was at start of the millennium that our local fabrics bounced back to the limelight. The revival of these fabrics caught the attention of local fashion designers such as Nono Palmos, PJ Aranador and Tess Salvador who have developed a well-defined couture out of hand-loomed fabrics. And these fabrics made its way into several fashion houses abroad.

Our local fabrics have been used by prêt-a-porter and haute couture designers in the fashion capitals of the world by popular designers such as Donna Karan and Calvin Klein and have integrated our local fabrics in some of their designs. Truly, the world recognizes the beauty of our indigenous fabrics and the Filipino's world class ingenuity and creativity.

It was during this period when financial grants were given for weaving development projects thru the efforts of then Senator Loren Legarda. It reawakened the interest of our weaving communities, particularly in Miag-ao and Oton and sales of hand-woven fabrics have improved that benefited many families that started to depend their everyday living on weaving .

photo by Manny Librodo

The ancient craft of hand-weaving, along with hand spinning, remains a popular craft in Iloilo up to this day. It is one of the most important crafts handed down from generation to generation, and the indigenous fabrics of hablon and patadyong are admired for their sheer beauty, uniqueness and global appeal.

Pangibabaw, Miag-ao on its 13th SALAKAYAN Festival

On January 31- February 6, 2011 people will crowd the municipal grounds at the historic town of Miag-ao for the 13th Annual SALAKAYAN Festival and for the town’s 295th Foundation Anniversary

The festival was born in 1999, and during the past 13 years, it has contributed to the cultural environment of the area by presenting local artists with the support of the local government.

It known to be one of the genuine Ilonggo festivals in the province today, it is a truly exciting and unique historic experience, especially for those enamored with the history of Iloilo, a living testimony to its majestic past. The festival has become a tourist spectacle and its fame is becoming well known. It brings to life the history of Miag-ao in a colorful and appealing fashion.

Salakayan features visual arts performances through the re-enactment and street dancing competitions, fine food and other events held in several venues throughout this historic center. It has special highlights daily. With the event coming up residents from all over Miag-ao are anticipating week-long activities that are family friendly and includes the entire week starting with the opening on a Sunday, January 31 with the Foundation Anniversary Mass and Food Fair; Opening of Agro-Trade Fair, Opening Salvo and MECS General Alumni Homecoming on Monday, January 31; Barangay Nyt on Tuesday, February 1; History of Miag-ao Quiz Bee and SKMF Night on Wednesday, February 2; Balikbayan Mass, Business Forum, Balikbayan Nyt on Thursday, February 3; Salakayan Re-enactment and Fluvial Procession and Vendors Night on Friday, February 4; Salakayan Tribe Contest, Queen’s Parade and the Tribes’ Night on Saturday, February 5; and the Coronation of Queen of Miag-ao 2011 on Sunday, February 6, 2011.

Salakayan Festival is observed in Miag-ao intensively and in many ways. It is manifested in traditional practice, and leaves its imprint on diverse aspects of their lives. The festival is known as the most important in Miag-ao. In this one location, visitors can experience the town’s history and culture going back to the pre-Spanish era. The annual re-enactment and tribe competition of the festival presents stories of the invasion or salakay of the marauding Moros (Muslim pirates) along the shores of the town and how victorious the locals are in waging war against Muslim marauders sometime in 1754. It has become a significant and important part of the community.

Adding color and gaiety to the street-drama presentation is the festivity the Higante or papier mache effigies. Giants measure four to five feet in diameter and ten to twelve feet in height. Molds are pasted with lots of newspapers. The body is made of bamboo, but other materials like thin iron bars are also be used. Yards of clothing materials and accessories complete the costume of the "Higantes" symbolizing the famous personalities of the town.

The people of Miag-ao headed by their tourism-oriented municipal mayor, Hon. Julieta N. Flores work hard to offer an array of activities, events on its annual Salakayan festival celebration to lure visitors to their town the beaches, mountains and acres of farmlands. No matter when or where you visit, you’re sure to find memorable Miag-ao history in full swing.

New Lucena Celebrates 4th JIMANBAN Festival

In meaningful observance its annual agri-fair this month, an agro-industrial festival dubbed as JIMANBAN will be held at the municipality of New Lucena on January 18-24, 2011 with the theme: “Ipabugal nga Ikaw taga New Lucena, Banwa nga Hamili kag sa Bug-os nga Nasyon Nakilala.”

The event will feature product and information displays from its 21 barangays. The week-long celebration will be highlighted daily special events. The fair will officially open with the One-Barangay-One-Product (OBOP) Display and the 9th SOMA Awards on January 18; Jimanban Presentation, High School Debate, and Searcfh for Miss Jimanban on January 19; Coronation of Day-Care Fancy Queen, Bakbakan 2011 and Civil Society Organization Night on January 20; NLPC Night on January 21; the Search for Mr. and Miss High School on January 22; Coronation of Fancy Queen 2011 and KALIPI and ERPAT Night with Live Band on January 23; Diana, Concelebrated Mass and the Coronation of Town Fiesta Queen 2011 on January 24, 2011.

The event is one way of celebrating the gains and significant strides made in the agriculture sector and reinvigorating the sector through program advocacies, especially during these critical times. The celebration is also a way of thanking Nuestra Señora de la Paz Y Buenviaje for all the blessings and miracles she provided the town.

Jimanban was the original name of New Lucena, a small community organized sometime in 1800 that was then an arrabal of the municipality of Cabatuan. Jimanban was derived from the word “nagapanghimanban” or to clear the place of banban grass in preparation for planting palay. In the year 1866, the boundary line separating the jurisdiction of Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan was defined. Jimanban was made part of Sta. Barbara.

There was no record as to how New Lucena got its name. However, reports say that it came from the dialect Lu from ulo which means “head” and Cena a shortened version of the flower Azucena known to be abundant during that time. Lucena means pure and peaceful leader or head. Some say that Lucena was in honor of the 36th Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo in 1716-1717, Pedro Gonzales Lucena, in accordance to the directive that a town should be name after its Patron Saint or the highest authority in the area. Lucena was changed to New Lucena in January 1, 1947 and became a new town in the Province of Iloilo.

New Lucena is a 5th class municipality in the province of Iloilo. It has a land area of 4,412 hectares politically subdivided into 21 barangays. The town is 25 kilometers from city and can be accessed either using the highway or by way around Cabatuan and Sta. Barbara route.

PASUNGAY Festival in San Joaquin

On the 15th day of January, the best breeds of bulls and horses in San Joaquin are brought to the poblacion to take part in one of Iloilo’s most prestigious festivals. The annual horse and bull-fight, called Pahibag (horse fight) Pasungay (bull fight) will be held at the San Joaquin Sports Stadium at morning at 9 onwards.

Pasungay and Pahibag have developed over the years from a dangerously amusing and recreational event to an exciting competition. Spectators' have a good time, full of liveliness and gaiety. Such celebration had helped to fashion an exquisitely charming culture that have won global appreciation. It has been celebrated for the past years as one of the foundations of San Joaquin’s Bayluhay Festival celebration.

It was said that bullfights were already being held in the town as far back as the Spanish era. It was in the 1970s that bull and horse fights were institutionalized and gradually acquired the importance they have today.

Pasungay/ Pahibag features bulls and horses pitted against other bulls and horses and awarded prizes for their skills in overcoming the opponent. The bull and horse fight in the area is way less ferocious than the bull fight that is the beloved sport depicted elsewhere especially in European countries and South America without compromising the realism or thrill of watching the raging bulls and horses. In this event, the animals are not killed or seriously injured.

Bull and horse fighting is legal in San Joaquin because there is no national or state animal protection legislation that prohibits this or any other cruel activity towards animals.

To witness this event, you need to be early at the venue to obtain seats located in the Sports Stadium at the back of the town hall. It is forbidden to enter the grounds or to access the route, except for duly authorized technical personnel of the town or the organizers with visible identification. Spectators can only access the public areas.

In Iloilo, there are no other bullfighting events during the rest of the year. It is only during the week-long celebration of Bayluhay Festival that the general interest for bullfighting and horse-fighting is aroused amongst the fanatics with mass participation in this event.

DINAGYANG Festival: All About Iloilo, Rhythms, Costumes and Fun

photo by Jun Fuerte

Formerly known as Iloilo Ati-atihan, Dinagyang has its beginnings in 1969. It was only in 1977 when the term “Dinagyang” was used, to differentiate it from Kalibo’s Ati-atihan. Coined by the late Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario, an Ilonggo writer and radio broadcaster, Dinagyang is a very colorful presentation of honoring Iloilo’s patron Saint, the Child Jesus or popularly known as the Sto. Niño. Prayers and offerings are interpreted in dance forms noted for its fast body movements. The dancing style is heavily influenced by modern theatrical movements that focus on the hands and that use indigenous-style instruments such of drums, and aligned pipes of various hypnotic melodies and are in perfect rhythm ending the presentation with shouts of "Viva Señor Santo Niño."

For 34 years of the festival’s history, Iloilo became the backbone of the cultural offer of the region, centered almost exclusively in the month of January with its annual celebration of Dinagyang every 4th Sunday of January.

photo by Jun Fuerte

Dinagyang traditions of making tribal costumes that add to the festival fun have always remained as it was for many years, albeit with some changes that reflect changing realities. Well-designed tribal costumes make all the difference all the time. To maintain this originality, it takes a great deal of time and effort to get a costume ready. Welding, gluing, sewing and dyeing techniques all complement each other so as to result into a stylish product with a true identity, a true symbol of real Ilonggo traditions. Though headdresses, spears and shields are being transformed annually, it has remained the center of interest to many people.

The Dinagyang beat has always been great fun when drums form the foundation of composition and accompaniment. The drum rhythms are unlike any others in the Philippines.

During the celebration, Iloilo also holds interesting trade shows, music concerts and culinary treats. It is a time when the main downtown streets are filled with food stalls of popular restaurants and are set up for the food festival as part of the special event during the celebration. Young and old alike enjoy the nightly dining and beer drinking.

photo by Jun Fuerte

Dinagyang has inspired other outstanding festivals in the country, creating a cultural weave that transforms Iloilo into a fiesta under the common denominator of the arts. Dinagyang has created an artistic platform that appeals to the different sectors of society, in an attempt to satisfy the needs of the most demanding supporters and all those wishing to enjoy artistic events of the highest quality.

Dinagyang has become the driving force of the social and cultural life of Iloilo, and whose magnetic appeal draws people from many parts. The event is calendared in the national office of the Department of Tourism which counts among its roster the major festivals in the Philippines making it among the more respected and closely followed cultural events. It has won many national awards and was even invited to perform abroad, which is an honor, indeed.

photo by Jun Fuerte

Dinagyang reflects the international breadth and quality which rivals any other national festivals for its international quality with performances by local schools in the city. On its 43rd year this year, 14 tribes will compete, namely Tribu Paghidaet of Lapaz National High School, Tribu Bola-Bola of Iloilo National High School, Tribu Pan-ay of Fort an Pedro National High School, Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School, Tribu Silak of Iloilo City National High School, Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School, Tribu Atub-Atub of Veterans Village in Duran, Tribu Manduryaw of Mandurriao National High School, Tribu Molave of Barangay Rizal-Estanzuela, Tribu Aninipay of Don Esteban in Lapuz, Tribu Pag-asa of Barangay Pali Benedicto, Tribu Bantu of Alta Tierra Village in Jaro, Tribu Himal-us of Barangay Poblacion in Molo, and Tribu Angola of Barangay Ed Ganzon, City Proper.

Each year, the Dinagyang Festival is inimitable in character and quality. It’s all about Iloilo, rhythms, costumes and fun!