A grandiose commemoration: 11-11-11 for Tan Martin

"Filipinos, beloved countrymen! Let us never destroy our precious rights because their loss will be our death and shame. Even if we do not have a single rifle, if all the towns will refuse to surrender, with one mind and one heart, the Americans will be ashamed to subjugate or kill us all. If this is the fate that will be ours, you will be greater, Filipinas, than all the nations!”

General Martin Teofilo Delgado, the Ilonggo revolutionary leader and Filipino nationalist penned the previous lines with pride and high hopes for the nation. Popularly known as Tan Martin, he was responsible for the start of the revolution against the Spaniards, and later the Americans in Iloilo. With his leadership and gallantry, his hometown of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo is known to be the seat of revolution in the Visayas and Mindanao and where the first Philippine flag was raised outside Luzon.

Standing proud, the GMTD Monument at the plaza of his hometown, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo

His bravery and heroics are not just on textbooks but celebrated annually during the Cry of Sta. Barbara and Kahilwayan Festival on Nov. 17. These celebrations don’t only make every Sta. Barbaranhons proud of their heritage but also garners a lot of recognition for the town. During the last decade, Tribu Kahilwayan depicts the bravery of its people in a cultural and acrobatic performance that earned top honors in festivals like Dinagyang (Kasadyahan) and Aliwan.

Kahilwayan Festival

And just this month, the celebration (last year) was honored as the Best Tourism Event in Culture and Arts category by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP). The award was given during its 12th Annual Convention in Roxas City, Capiz.

The trophy for the Best Festival

But this year’s celebrations will have a broader and wider scope as it will included a once in a lifetime event, not to mention the first and only one. This year the town honors it’s most illustrious son with a celebration dubbed as “Triple 11 for Tan Martin”. Nov. 11, 2011 marks his 153rd birth anniversary and as 11-11-11 comes just once every millennium, Sta. Barbara gives GMTD a ten-day event of historical and cultural significance befitting that of one of the greatest Philippine revolucionarios.

Schedule of Activities

“Triple 11 for Tan Martin” Celebration

NOV. 11 FRIDAY

5:00 am Diana around town
7:00 am Concelebrated mass (Sta. Barbara Parish church)
8:30 am Flag raising (Municipal flag pole area)
Triple 11 for Tan Martin Opening Ceremony
Wreath laying (Gen. Martin T. Delgado monument)
9:00 am Triple 11 for Tan Martin Birth Anniversary Commemoration
(Don Herminio Maravilla Memorial Cultural and Recreational Center-DHMMCRC)
10:00am Opening of the Gen. Martin T. Delgado Exhibit (Ms. Letty Delgado residence)
2:00 pm Public viewing of the GMTD Exhibit
3:00 pm Exhumation of the remains of Gen. Martin T. Delgado (Sta. Barbara Catholic cemetery)
6:00 pm Vigil and public viewing (Sta. Barbara municipal hall)
Intertown Choral competition (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 12 SATURDAY
5:30 am Fun Run around town
8:30 am Concelebrated mass (Sta. Barbara Parish church)
1000 am Procession around town in full regalia and military honors
1200 nn Reinterment of Gen. Martin T. Delgado's remains at the GMTD monument
1:00 pm Weekend market (Sta. Barbara bandstand)
3:00 pm Fun match dog show with the Pitbull Club of Iloilo (DHMMCRC)
7:00 pm Miss Kahilwayan 2011 Pre Pageant night

NOV. 13 SUNDAY

7:00 am Tree planting activity
9:00 am Car and Motor show (Sta. Barbara plaza)
2:00 pm Boxing matches (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 14 MONDAY
8:00 am Flag raising ceremony (Iloilo Provincial Capitol grounds)
9:00 am Opening of GMTD Exhibit and Cultural Presentation (Iloilo Provincial Capitol lobby)

NOV. 15 TUESDAY

9:00 am Workshop on Genealogy and Biography Writing (Iloilo Provincial Capitol)

NOV. 16 WEDNESDAY
9:00 am Workshop on Creative Writing (Sta. Barbara ABC Hall)
5:00 am Opening of Food Festival along Roosevelt Street
8:00 pm Live band performances (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 17 THURSDAY

7:00 am Concelebrated mass (Sta. Barbara Parish church)
8:30 am Flag raising (Municipal flag pole area)
Cry of Sta. Barbara re-enactment
9:00 am KAHILWAYAN FESTIVAL Celebration (DHMMCRC and football grounds)
1000 am Drum and Glockenspiel Competition
1200 nn Lunch for the Cry of Sta. Barbara heroes descendants and guests
1:00 pm Mayor's Cup Golf Tournament (Iloilo Golf and Country Club)
Laro ng Lahi (DHMMCRC and football grounds)
4:00 pm Heritage Ride along the Sta. Barbara heritage zones
6:00 pm Life of Tan Martin: A One-act Play (Sta. Barbara Parish church frontage)
9:00 pm Live band performances (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 18 FRIDAY
9:00 am Workshop on Photography (Sta. Barbara ABC Hall)
1:00 pm Quiz Bee (DHMMCRC)
7:00 pm Miss Kahilwayan 2011 Coronation Night (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 19 SATURDAY

9:00 am Opening of Local Artists Art Exhibit (Tesda Hall)
Art Appreciation Workshop
1st Sepak Takraw Tournament (Sta. Barbara bandstand area)
1:00 pm Weekend market (Sta. Barbara bandstand)
7:00 pm Talent and Fashion Show (Municipal flag pole area)
8:00 pm Live band performances (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 20 SUNDAY

5:00 am Juego de Anillo and Cycling (Sta. Barbara plaza)
AM/PM Sepak Takraw tournament / Football games / DOTA Tournament
8:00 pm Live band Closing performances (DHMMCRC)

NOV. 21 MONDAY

7:00 am Flag raising ceremony
Triple 11 for Tan Martin Closing Ceremony

Photos c/o Sta. Barbara Ugyon Facebook and www.habagatcentral.com

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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