Best Tasting Bingka in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

Semana Santa in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, just like in many other towns across the Philippines is marked with spiritual and cultural activities. It starts on Palm Sunday with the blessing of the palaspas marked by the palaspas-making contest. Religious activities like Visita Iglesia, Last Supper re-enactment, Via Crucis, Veneration of the Cross and Santo Entierro Procession, among others keep the pre dominantly Roman Catholic Santa Barbaranhons occupied during the last four days of the Holy Week.

But Semana Santa in Santa Barbara is one that also plays on a gastronomical note as the townsfolk indulge in the ultimate Lenten food offering - bingka. I grew up associating Lent with bingka and vice versa. I remember going to the plaza as a kid so that we can do some "pamingka" - that is having a picnic in the plaza eating nothing but bingka. It's been like this since time immemorial, that this year the Santa Barbara Municipal Tourism Office gathered the manug-bingka, for the 1st-ever Tastiest Bingka competition. Held at the Bandstand in the middle of the plaza, eight competitors representing different baranggays and traditional bingka-makers battled it out for the title of being the Tastiest Bingka in Santa Barbara.

Among the judges of the competition were Mr Boboi Costas, Mr Eugene Jamerlan and yours truly. Sir Boboi is a heritage and cultural worker from Cebu City and is the president of HAMBIN - short for the Cebuano words Hamiling Binilin (cherished heritage). It is Cebu’s only SEC-registered heritage advocacy group that operates outside of a corporate or government entity. It aims to broaden the continuing conversation on Cebuano heritage. Sir Eugene is Iloilo City's foremost heritage advocate and is a member of the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council.

Eight teams prepared bingka in various sizes and presentation. Most of them only sell bingka during the Holy Week as the Santa Barbara tradition goes but some already are breaking grounds as their bingkas are available whole year round.

Leling's Special Bingka

As the judges proclaimed Leling's Special Bingka is the epitome of the traditional bingka from Sta, Barbara. It is puto-like as pampa-alsa, is added to the bingka mix and left overnight. That makes the local bingka, different from most bingkas in Iloilo. Leling makes bingka whole year round and has been featured in many write ups and tv shows in the past. Here are the other delicious bingka that certainly filled us up that day.

RJ Special Bingka

Kimsel's Special Bingka

Isay Special Bingka

D Original Tib's Special Bingka

Bingkahan ni Luis

Tungay Special Bingka

Bingkahan ni Gaming

In the end it was the Tib's Special Bingka which was proclaimed as the Tastiest Bingka for this year. Top quote Boboi Costas "... soft and not too sweet". It was also adjudged as the Mayor's Choice - one of the Special awards. Leling's was the people's choice as it garnered the most number of votes during the competition.

One last look at these delectable bingka and hoping for a bigger and tastier event for next year as the contest promises to become bigger and more innovative bingka competition. Pamingka 'ta!

More photos on Santa Barbara Ugyon Facebook.

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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