Lang-ay festival 2015 draws raffle pitch

BONTOC, Mtn. Province – The staging of the Lang-ay Festival 2015 in the province has attracted some business people to conduct their promotional activities next month during the duration of the provincial festivities.

M.A. DIRECTO CAR DEALERSHIP is one company that is offering a promotional raffle wherein tickets will be sold to the public as part of the Lang-ay celebrations.

As stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by and between the car dealership represented by business proprietor Mark Andrew Directo and the Lang-ay Festival Organization represented by its chairperson, Paulino Tumapang, Jr., tickets will be sold to the public at P50.00 per ticket which is now being done.

The grand prize is a brand new Toyota Hiace Commuter, second prize, 2003 Mitshubishi Strada, third prize, 2005 Acquired Mitshubushi Space Gear, 4th prize, Brand new Rusi Tricycle. Consolation prizes are 5 brand new Samsung Cellphones and 5 M.A. Directo product packages.

It is also specified that interested sellers will be given P5.00 commission per ticket sold. Winning tickets will entitle the seller the amount of P20,000.00 for the Grand prize, P15,000.00 for the second prize, P10,000.00 for the third prize, and P5,000 for the fourth prize.

It is also provided that the car dealership shall be responsible in the processing of the registration transfer of ownership of the prizes. The raffle day is on April 27, 2015.

Meanwhile, negosyo forums are being arranged to be conducted during the duration of the Lang-ay Festival, specifically on April 17, 2015. Accordingly, two business firms, Goshen Land and Phil-am Life have signified their intention to participate.

Other companies are being invited to participate also. The Lang-ay Secretariat may be contacted at the Provincial Tourism Office, Provincial Capitol, at langay.secretariat2015@gmail.com or through cellphone no. 09212941628.

A call has been sounded out to the members of the 11th municipality to consider visiting the province for the Lang-ay Festival. April 24 has been assigned as 11th Municipality Day.

As the province has only 10 municipalities, it is to be noted that the 11th municipality is composed of all natives of Mountain Province residing outside of the province whether in the country or abroad. The Mayor is Edwin Abeya and the Vice Mayor is Ryan Mangusan. **Roger Sacyaten

refer here: http://zigzagweekly.net/291/lang-ay-festival-2015-draws-raffle-pitch

Read more...

Lang-ay Festival 2010 Schedule

The long awaited schedule of activities for the yearly Lang-ay Festival 2010 has already been released by the Lang-ay Development Council. Mountain Province based media man, Angel Baybay shares the following article:

Bontoc, Mountain Province – The Lang-ay Development Council, in a meeting last week, approved the schedule of activities for this year’s Lang-ay Festival on April 4-12 here at the capital town.

On April 4, Easter Sunday, shall start the three day free surgical mission with that shall be conducted by Baguio based medical doctors headed by Dr. Jimmy Cabfit. Patients to be operated on are those who have undergone the screening process from March 1 to April 2 at the Bontoc General Hospital. On the evening will be the search for the Bangan di Montanosa.

A civic parade around the Bontoc commercial area will start the activities on April 5 and ends at the provincial plaza where a mass will be held. The opening of the Agro-industrial Trade and Technology Fair completes the morning’s schedule. In the afternoon shall be the book launching of the History of Mountain Province written by a committee commissioned by the Governor Maximo Dalog; the choral and oratorical competition, and; the Lang-ay raffle draw which will benefit the PINAGPAGAN teams of the 144 barangays.

The third day will be for the elderly and the differently- abled persons. As in the past years, a meeting and cultural activities for these sectors are scheduled. They will also present a part during the Regional Development Council meeting. Candidates for the local elective positions will also sign a covenant unity in an effort to make the May elections honest, clean, and peaceful.

The street dancing and cultural presentations are calendared on April 7. Before the crowd drawing event will however start, a marathon will fire off the day’s program. People will then flock towards the chico river banks for the Lang-ay lunch. Individuals who have excelled in different fields will be given recognition in the afternoon.

Organizational meetings will be conducted on April 8. Among the groups to meet include the young professionals, Blessed Association of Retired Persons, Igorot Global Organization, Federation of Farmers’ Organization, the provincial and municipal historical groups, and the PINAGPAGAN teams.

In the morning of April 9 will be the Lang-ay quiz bee and essay writing contests while an evaluation and socialization night will be had in the evening.

The agro-industrial trade and technology fair will end on April 12.

To enliven the spirit of the festival which has adopted the theme, “Lang-ay, a Cultural Tool for Solidarity, Cooperation and Transformation”, concerts and theatrical shows are scheduled during the evenings from April 4 to 8.

Source: Mountain Province

Read more...

Sugarcane wine making in Mainit

It was nearing dusk when long time friend and agriculturist Hazel Fagyan and I reached the abuyuan here at Mainit. Abuyuan is the makeshift place where sugarcane is extracted and boiled into basi (sugar cane wine). We wanted to see how dapil or baliwes (the process of making basi) is being done. Dapil is lebek to people in some sugar cane producing areas of Besao municipality.

We found a carabao moving around some three meters away from an extractor placed at the middle of the field. The carabao was tied to a wooden plank tied to a sugarcane extractor. Children playfully pushed the wooden board urging the carabao to move faster and exert more pressure on the extractor. Pieces of sugarcane were thrust in the extractor. Sugarcane juice oozed to a waiting container. The sugarcane extract was then transferred to a waiting vat and boiled. It takes three hours boiling to make basi and eight hours to make sugar.

In commercial sugar making, the cane first goes through a washer, then is cut into small pieces by revolving knives. These cut pieces may then be shredded or may move to crushers directly. The crushers consist of two large grooved rollers mounted horizontally, one above the other. The crushed, macerated cane then goes through three or more roller mills which consist of grooved rollers with heavy hydrolic pressure maintained on the upper roller. Water, equal to about 20 percent, is added before the mixture is passed through each set of rollers. Efficient mills extract at least 90 percent of the sugar in the cane. The cane residue, called ‘bagasse’, can be used as feed.

Pending research, it is not exactly known how much of the sugar is extracted from sugar canes by the power of the carabao. Yet, judging by the outcome of the crushed canes, much of the sugar had already been extracted.

In dapil, the sugarcane sap without mixing water is boiled for eight hours to become sugar with loads of pine wood, fired. In the process, whitish residues called usab are spooned off every now and then from the surface of the vat and placed in another container. These collected fluids are locally used by the farmers as pesticides. The extract is further boiled which is eventually placed in coconut bowls which are left to cool off as sugar cakes called inti. Or these either may be spread out in a biga-o (winnower) and cut in sugar cakes preserved for everyday use, either mixed with rice, tea or coffee.

In making sugarcane wine, the boiled sugarcane extract after a three-hour boiling, is placed in the charay (jar) for fermentation. An herb preservative/flavoring called kallasang is mixed with the boiled sugarcane extract. Alcohol content of basi is ethyl alcohol not more than 12%.

John Lapaan, 58, said in the dialect, “We stay here whole day, whole night stirring the sugarcane extract to desired boiling.” While cooking, the men sing a chant called warsa-ey in between drinks of basi or San Miguel gin.

Pedro Lobchoy, in his 70s sits as the old man of the abuyuan and does not leave the place until dapil is done. December is Dapil month and will last as long until the last matured sugarcane is extracted and cooked into basi or sugar.

There are at least 10 dapil areas in Mainit with at least 20 household-members belonging to one group.

Where are the women? Sianen said women cut the sugarcane in the fields whilst young men carry the sugarcanes to the abuyuan. Women also bring food for the men at the abuyuan.

Depending on how many loads of sugarcane one has, one can have at least two to three burnay. There are at least 2 drums in one burnay. Twelve cans fill up one drum. One can makes up 17 liters. The fermented basi is a whole year supply used in weddings, wakes, and other celebrations.

Morris Sianen, 65, said, “basi is locally drank. It is rare that we sell basi to other places”.

Mainit which is located in upland Bontoc of Mountain Province finds the famous Mainit Hot Springs. One can see hot steam emitting from the sulfuric hot springs along the whole stretch of the village at any hour of the day.

There are two guest houses located in Mainit. One at Geston’s Guest House and at BenVic, both offering clean and comfy bedrooms and kitchen facilities. We stayed at Geston’s Guest House, a few minutes walk away from the abuyuan where we went.

Read more...

Sharing the Linapet

By Bartolome Baldas Sr.

Adog has come when the Kiling(migratory) birds begin to chirp by September and signifies that there is no impending typhoon. Elder men of Gueday, Agawa in northern Besao gather at dap-ay Awaw to observe the rising of the sun at Ambaoan Bato langsayan located in the eastern horizon of Agawa. Adog is one of the 12 agricultural months of the year.

It would take about ten days to observe the surise. If the sun's rays are perfectly aligned between a towering rock called a Stone Calendar, it is time to announce the Feast of the Linapet or what is called Obayan di Linapet.

Linapet is ground rice with crushed peanuts or meat sandwiched in the middle and wrapped with banana leaves or squash leaves. In the early days however, people butcher pigs and chickens to share to elder relatives and neighbors.

During the feast, all households in northern Besao prepare linapet to share wth grandparents, parents in law, uncles, aunts, relatives and fiends. Natives of Agawa tribe always see to it that they have something to share during the feast of the Linapet.

It is at this time of the year when the northern tribes of Besao ceebrate the feast by gathering together and sharing linapet with friends and townmates who come home from any part of the word for the occasion.

The Linapet celebration is not merely sharing the indigenous food however. Along with the food sharing are principles to follow like hospitality, respect and bedience. Younger people are obliged to bring linapet to older folks especialy to parents, grandaprents, and parents-in-law.

It s also notherworthy to observe that the rich and poor, the proud and the humble, display the spirit of oneness and sincerity in accordance with the optimistic tribal celebration.

Just like any ohter Igorot community, agricuture is the main source of livelihood of the people.Their farm activities depend on the different phases of the moon, movement of the sun and strs, the onset of the rainy season and the arrival of migratory birds. Their dependence in the aforementioned occurences encourage them to search for the right time to farm, to fish, and hunt which is associated with the celebration of their cultural and spirtual practises.

Following Adog in September, Kiling in October starts the sowing of rice seeds.

(Lang-ay Magazine, 2006)

Read more...

Besao shares Linapet

Besao is 28 kilometers from the capital town of Bontoc and accessible via Besao-Sagada Road and Besao-Tadian Road.

Endowed with verdant greeneries and spectacular viewpoints, Besao offers panoramic views of lush mountain slopes. The highest mountain peak is Mt Caman-ingel. Another famed attraction is the Besao Sunset. Its awesome view is soothing to the sight as the sun sets in to meet the evening dusk.

Of course, one will not forget the Begnas celebrated every 30th of September when the rays of the sun hits a towering rock called a stone calendar during the observance of Adog, one of the 12 agricultural months of the year in Besao. Adog in September precedes Kiling in October when the sowing of rice seeds start.

Elder men gather at dap-ay Awaw at the northern village of Agawa to observe the rising of the sun at Ambaon Bato of Langsayan and announce the Feast of the Linapet when the sun's rays hits the stone.

Linapet is ground rice with fillings of crushed peanuts and wrapped with banana leaves. Households cook this tasty delicacy and share it with relatives and friends to observe the September Festival, share good tidings and be reminded of respect and cultural camaraderie among the people.

Know more about Besao, its people, and its natural attractions here.

Read more...

MP's caves, falls, and more

Mountain Province is rich in natural wonders to include the famed Sumaguing Cave of Sagada, Mainit Hot Springs of Bontoc, Mt Amuyao of Barlig, and more.

Link here

Read more...

Livelihood projects benefit Mt. Province families

To support the flourishing of local industries, the Provincial government of Mountain Province gave P100,000 for livelihood projects on blacksmith and iron works for folks in Sadanga.

Read more of this in Northern Philippine Times .

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The provincial government has allotted P875,508 for livelihood projects in this province with 290 households as original beneficiaries, 66 of which engaged in goat raising, 174 engaged in hog raising, 33 household engaged in duck raising and 17 in cattle raising.

Since not all members of the organizations benefited during the distribution, a re-dispersal scheme of the project shall be done by the organizations to the other members to have access of the program.

Evelyn Payacda of the Provincial Governor’s Office said some of the original beneficiaries re-dispersed to the second in line beneficiaries wherein 14 heads of goats were re-dispersed to 14 households; 30 heads of piglets to 30 households; and 104 heads of ducklings to 21 households, for a total of 88 households beneficiaries for the second in line.

Other livelihood projects funded were blacksmith and iron works in Sadanga town which received P100,000.

The organization is successfully operating and was able to produce various agricultural tools sold in and outside the province.

The Balangao Women’s organization of Natonin was given one sewing machine and one zigzag machine worth P10,000 each.

For vegetable production, the Bauko vegetable farmers were given P20,000 which they successfully implemented in 2007.

They were able to roll over to other seven farmers while Paracelis farmers who received P10,000 have implemented the project last December and winery production was given P40,000.

The successful implementation of these projects was due to the strict monitoring of the projects jointly being conducted by the staff of the Municipal Agriculturist where the project is implemented and Payacda, who is in-charge of the project. -- Juliet B. Saley

Read more...