UFrom Tibiao, we were next driven 18.5 kms. (a 30 min. ride), past Barbaza, to the town of Laua-an, the muscovado sugar capital of Antique. Here, we were dropped off at a gym where we, as well as the students of UP Visayas (Miag-ao, Iloilo), were to observe a demonstration, sponsored by Benz Bandi  (owner: Mr. Melben “Benz” Bandiola), of the making of famous specialty delicacies bandi (peanut brittle) and butong-butong (muscovado candy). Bandi, called panutsa in Luzon, is made with whole peanuts covered in muscovado sugar.

The melted muscovado sugar is allowed to simmer

The muscovado making industry has declined through the years when the white variety was introduced but now there is an ever-growing demand, since people now prefer to have an alternative supply aside from the white variety.  With the increase in popularity of organic products, many coffee lovers also prefer this kind of sugar, instead of the white variety, because it enhances the coffee’s taste.

The sugary syrup is poured into banana stalks

The traditional process in making muscovado is more natural and less processed.  First, the sugar cane juice is filtered to remove any impurities.  The part that is already thick is then turned into its grainy form using the traditional brick oven.  Today, Laua-an just can’t keep up with the demand in the market.

The hot, melted muscovado sugar is then pulled

When we arrived, the ingredients (muscovado sugar, kalamansi, peanuts, etc.) as well as the kawa (cauldron) where already made ready for the demonstration.  In making butong-butong (called tira-tira in Luzon), muscovado sugar is melted in the kawa and whole kalamansi (Philippine lemon), with the rind included, is added into the mix.

Peanuts being poured into the mixture

After a short cooking time, the kalamansi is removed from the mix and the crystallized muscovado syrup is poured into banana tree stalks and allowed to cool down for a few minutes.

The peanuts and melted muscovado are mixed

The hot, melted muscovado sugar is then pulled (butong is a Hiligaynon or Kinaray-a word meaning “to pull”) until it becomes whitish in color and then hardens to create a solid, soft and chewy candy.  It is sometimes stretch to create different designs.

The muscovado and peanut mix is poured on sawali mats

The process in making bandi is almost the same, with peanuts added into the mix.  The mixture, when ready, is poured in sawali mats, spread out and allowed to harden. To compliment the flavor of the bandi, it is topped with roasted lunga or sesame seeds.

After spreading, roasted sesame seeds are then sprinkled

How To Get There: Laua-an is located 55.1 kms. from San Jose de Buenavista., 12.6 kms. from Tibiao and 12.4 kms. from Bugasong.

After lunch, we all proceeded to Tibiao Bakery, the first bakeshop in the town and one of the more popular bakeries on Panay Island, where we were to sample their baked specialties.

Tibiao Bakery

Early on, we’ve previously sampled their popular and crunchy biscocho (from the Latin phrase bis coctus meaning “twice baked”), topped with butter and sugar, and asado rolls the day before.  Upon arrival at the bakery, I tried out their mongo ensaymada (also comes in ube flavor) and teren-teren, another Tibiao Bakery bestseller with a sweet filling, so named because it resembles a “train.”

An array of specialty breads

Aside from the above mentioned delicacies, the bakery is well known for its other Filipino specialty breads such as pan de sal,  pan de coco, macapuno buns, raisin bread, pineapple rolls, mongo rolls, mongo loaf, Pullman loaf, rainbow bread, ugoy-ugoy (a layered, flaky biscuit with granulated sugar as topping), paborita biscuits, principe, whole wheat bread, among others, as well as otap (oval-shaped puff pastry), cakes, cheese cupcake, biscuits, mamon, cookies and sweets.  They also offer short orders such as siopao, hamburgers, pancit molo and spaghetti.

Ensaymada mongo

This bakery was started by Manuel B. Lim, Sr. (mayor of Tibiao from 1991 to 2000) together with his wife, the former Anita J. Mandolado of Bugasong, as a neighborhood bakeshop on August 16, 1953 with a capital of around 20,000 pesos. Even after 6 decades of operation, they still use the same methods and equipment in baking bread as well as the old pugon, which is fired with wood, built on June 5, 1955.

Chesse pan de sal and mongo rolls

Now a proud export of the town, , it is now one of the largest and most popular companies in the whole Panay Island.  Their good and tasty breads has spawned numerous branches in the northern towns of Antique and the provinces of Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo.  In Iloilo City, a branch was started Manuel’s sons Vicente and Stephen in 1982.  Now it has around 10 branches  and it also supplies breads and baked goods to a lot of fast food chains such as Jollibee, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken, to name a few , plus it’s main locator inside SM groceries around Iloilo.

Raisin bread and whole wheat bread

There’s even a branch established by Sonny and Nieva Lim in Wellington, New Zealand (Tibiao Caterers/Capital Bakery).  Eventually in 1989, the business was converted from a sole proprietorship to a corporation.

Our media group

Tibiao Bakery: Bandoja St., Poblacion, Tibiao, Antique.

Tibiao Caterers/Capital Bakery: 5 Jasmine Grove, Maungaraki, Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand,Tel: 04-5891099. Mobile number (0274)495037. E-mail tibiao@xtra.co.nz.

After our lambaklag fishing expedition, we were all driven, within 15 mins., from Brgy. Malabor to Brgy. Bandoja, this time to try our hand at pottery and brick making.  Bandoja is known for their earthen products made famous by the quality and durability of its bricks and the pottery that comes from a wide variety shapes and decorative techniques.  The barangay is blessed with 450,000 metric tons of clay reserves, making it an ideal location for this cottage industry.

The brick and pottery making facility

In the past, the pottery designs used were usually geometric, with stylized nature motif.  Later, however, it became more functional. Their finished products include terracotta bricks, huge and complex ornamental jars, mini cooking sets, flower pots, mini clay slippers and others.

The raw clay

Students of UP Visayas (Miag-ao, Iloilo), on a field trip, where invited to try their hand in pottery. Pottery, though fun, doesn’t look as easy as the process seen in the movie Ghost.  In fact, it takes a lot of patience to mold the wet clay and learn the basics of the potter’s wheel much less create a decent looking vase, jar or pot.

Clay molded into rotational symmetry

The potter’s wheels, some improvised from bicycle rims, were all turned by hand. As the wheel is rotated, the solid ball of soft clay is pressed, squeezed and pulled gently upwards and outwards into a hollow shape.

A native potter at work

In brick making, the raw clay is mixed with 25-30% sand to reduce shrinkage, then grounded and mixed with water to produce the desired consistency. It is then pressed into steel molds (also referred to as forming) to form the clay into its final shape.

Clay being pressed in steel molds

In pottery making, the clay is first kneaded to ensure an even moisture content throughout the body.  The next step, called centering the clay, is the most important skill to master before the next step.  Here, the rough ball of clay is pressed downward and inward into perfect rotational symmetry.

The students try their hand at pottery making

The next steps are “opening” (making ac hollow into the center of the solid ball of clay), “flooring” (creating a flat or rounded bottom inside the pot), “throwing” or “pulling” (the walls are drawn up and shaped to an even thickness), and “trimming” or “turning” (refining the shape or to creating a foot through removal of the excess clay).

The drying kilns

Of course, the student’s pottery and brick creations wouldn’t be complete without “firing” in a kiln to remove all the water in the clay to harden, increase their strength and set the clay.  Only then does it become pottery or bricks.

A stack of finished bricks

A row of finished pottery

Instead of wood or charcoal, the kiln uses cheaper rice husks for fuel which reduces air pollution and improves the quality of the products.   Firing would take some time but, since the students etched their names on their creations, the finished products would be delivered to them on a later date.

Our media group

Katahum Tours: Tibiao, Antique.  Mobile numbers: (0919) 813-9893 and (0917) 631-5777. E-mail: flord@tibiaofishspa.com. Website: www.katahum.com.

From Patnongon, we continued 17.5 kms. to the next town of Bugasong.  We made a 45-min. stopover at Brgy. Bagtason where we, as well as students of U.P. Visayas (Miag-ao, Iloilo) on a field trip, were to observe the very intricate and beautiful art of patadyong making.

A tiral or habulan

The art of patadyong making was developed in the late 1960’s when a lot of high quality products were made, using cotton and abaca as raw materials.  During the 1980’s, with polyester as their raw material, the production of hand woven textile heightened and more quality designs and products were produced featuring different designs (stripes, squares, rectangles, checkered, etc.).

A weaver in action

Seeing the economic potential of this weaving activity, the weavers of Brgy. Bagtason organized themselves into the Bagtason Loom Weavers Association (BLWA), registered it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the organization was incorporated on July 4, 2008.  Today, it is now headed by Mr. Mario Manzano.

UP Prof. Joy Rosal Sumagaysay showing her students how to wear a patadyong

Patadyong weaving is done by interlacing the different colors of threads through a wooden handloom locally called tiral or habulan.  Today, due to the increase in the production and market demand, the BLWA has around 10 of these. Through the assistance of the Antique Development Foundation, the BLWA has introduced its products in the international market of Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The patadyong as a portable toilet

Similar to the tube-like malong garment worn by Muslim women, the patadyong comes in checkered or plaid design.  Women use this very versatile piece of multi-colored cloth as a skirt, pair it with a blouse called a kimona or use it as a mobile, portable bathroom.  It was also used as a hammock for babies or for transporting the sick or wounded during emergencies.

Another use of the patadyong

Today, its bestsellers are the yano (plain patadyong, PhP650) and pinilian (patadyong with embroidery, PhP1,600), both 4 m. long, hand woven cloth made from polyester or yarn. A plain checkered cloth made from polyester costs PhP150/meter. They also sell 2 to 3 m. long, hand woven cloth, with or without embroidery. Hablon cloth, made with gold and silver rayon and polyester threads, costs PhP200/meter.

Step 1

The weavers also make tubao (handkerchiefs); shawls (PhP450); scarves; wallets; polyester sun visors (PhP175); ladies hats; bags; 2 m. long, polyester table runners (PhP300) and, occasionally, leis and polo or long-sleeved shirts made with polyester.  Their designs and colors could also be personalized by the by the BLWA according to your liking.

Steps 2, 3 and 4

A small tubao costs PhP60. A big plain scarf costs P120, a big scarf with flower embroidery costs PhP150-180, a soft weaved scarf costs PhP275, a double thread scarf  costs PhP350, and a 3 m. long, double thread scarf, with design, costs PhP500. A plain cloth ladies hat costs PhP250 while hats, with pinilian design, costs PhP350.  Prices also vary, depending on the details in each hat. The prices of leis varies, depending upon its design – a plain lei costs PhP30 while leis with embroidery costs PhP50.

Step 5

Plain polo shirts costs PHp650, polo with embroidery costs PhP750, plain long sleeves costs PhP750 while long sleeves with embroidery costs PhP850. All products made by the BLWA contain the logo of the LGU-Bugasong (it being its OTOP – One Town One Product), name of the association, location, and the name, description and price of the product. The income of the BLWA, depending on the demand for hablon in the local or international market, varies every year (PhP267,000 in 2008, PhP56,000 in 2009 and PhP499,350 as of September 2010).

The colorful thread used

Weaving follows many steps or stages. At the first stage, called the pagsab-ong, weavers have to determine how many meters and pieces can be made, with or without the design. The next stage is the paglikis, the arrangement of the thread. The third stage is the pagbinting, insertion of the thread in the binting in an upward and downward movement. The next stage is the pagsulod where the thread is inserted in the reed. The fifth stage is the pagtalingyas, the transfer of thread from the cone to the talingyasan.  The last stage is the pagpanara, when the actual weaving starts.

Students trying their hand at weaving

If you want it personalized and trendy, the weavers would combine different colors of the threads.  The standard patadyong design features mixed threads that capture natural earth tones (blue, green, yellow, etc.) as well as show personal status. The time it takes to weave a cloth depends on the design – the bigger and more intricate the design, the longer it takes.

Bagtason Loom Weavers Association (BLWA): Brgy. Bagtason, Bugasong, Antique.  Mobile number: (0906) 843-8687.

How To Get There: Bugasong is located 43 kms. from San Jose de Buenavista, 12.4 kms. from Laua-an and 17.3 kms. from Patnongon.

From Anini’y poblacion, we again boarded our van for the short, 16.5 km. drive to the next town of Tobias Fornier.  About 3 kms. south of Tobias Fornier, along the highway, we made a short stopover at the splintered rock of Punta Hagdan which juts out to sea.  The town’s rugged coastline converges at this beautiful spot.

Punta Hagdan

About 2.5 kms. from the poblacion, we made another stopover at Brgy. Diclum where we, together with students from the UP Visayas (Miag-ao, Iloilo) on a field trip, were to observe its cottage industry of buri handicraft making.

The buri weavers of BUHAI

The leaves of the versatile buri palm (Corypha elata), which has large fan-shaped leaves with stout petioles ranging from 2 to 3 m. in length, grows in great abundance here. Buri palm is considered one of the most important palms, next to coconut, in terms of economic and industrial performance.

Flord (in green) with the students of UP Visayas

Here, the manugrara kang buri of the Buri Handicraft Association, Inc. (BUHAI) were waiting for our arrival. BUHAI, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission since September 2001, has around 60 members coming from the 4 adjacent barangays. Because of BUHAI’s active involvement, buri production was chosen as the “One Town One Product (OTOP).” The BUHAI weavers, mostly women and plain housewives, learned the techniques of buri weaving, ever since they were young, by merely observing their mothers at work.  

Dried buri palm leaves

Prior to weaving, the buri palm leaves were braided or stripped off, then dried under the sun.  Then, they are colorfully dyed in different hues to whatever color the person doing the weaving may like. These were done prior to our arrival.

The students try their hand at weaving

The students were divided into a number of groups, with a master weaver, on hand, to teach them the basics of buri weaving.  Later, they are to try it on their own, with the weaver guiding them.

Weaving a bag

First, the buri strands are folded into halves. Then four strands are folded together in pairs; horizontally and vertically, with the glossy brown color in the outer surface. The remaining strands on the sides or edge-line are then folded to keep the weave tightly locked in place. Unwanted or excess strands are then cut.

Media colleague Justine also tries her hand at weaving

BUHAI’s finished products, artistically crafted with highly imaginative designs, include hats, mats, bags, buri boxes, purses, wallets, backpacks, holders and other novelty items.  As all this is made by hand, the bigger, more intricate items take a long time to do.

Buri handicraft finished products

On our way out of the town, we made another short stopover at  the town’s famous cemetery which is known for its unique name “Kami Karon, Kamo Dason” which literally means “we go now, you go next.”

The town’s famous cemetery

Buri Handicraft Association, Inc.: Brgy. Diclum, Tobias Fornier, Antique. Tel: (036) 320-1434.