From Mayor Raymundo’s house, we moved on to the town proper where we were to watch a demonstration on how banig mats are made. The brown, handwoven banig mats, made of drift bariw leaves, are commonly used as beds in bamboo floored houses where its cooling effect to the body makes old-fashioned folks choose it over modern mattresses. Others use it to cover their wooden beds or even the cushioned ones in their sleeping quarters.

Banig products

A woman’s terno made with banig

The versatile bariw (Pandanus copelandii) plant, indigenous to this mountain and coastal town, is a close relative of pandan plant that some Filipinos use to make their cooked rice more fragrant.  Its longer blades contain durable fibers that can be extracted by pounding and scraping.  The banig is the main product of the municipality and the importance of banig (bariw) weaving as a major means of livelihood of the Libertadnons is celebrated during the Banigan Festival held from March 14 to 16.

Beating dried bariw leaves with a wooden club (pagpalpag)

The dried bariw leaves are tightly rolled (paglikid)

It seems that the whole town was present at the plaza when we arrived.  On display were various export-quality products produced from banig including place mats, hats, coasters, bags, purses and other home accessories plus, uniquely, a woman’s terno.  All these products are sought by local and foreign markets because of their unique and complex designs.

Unwinding to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves (pagbuntay)

Shredding of bariw leaves (pagkulhad)

Prior to the demonstration, the extracted fibers were first sun or air-dried (pagbulad) to give it a shiny brown tone as well as to strengthen it, then the leaves are beaten with a wooden club (sampok) against a flat stone until they become soft and pliable (pagpalpag).  Next, it is tightly rolled one after the other, in a round form, to sustain its softness and elasticity (paglikid), then unwound to straighten the spiraled bariw leaves (pagbuntay).

The bariw strands are folded into halves (pagkyupis)

The actual weaving begins ….

Prior to the arduous and very tedious process of weaving by the manugbanig, the dried bariw leaves are shredded through a wooden-based kurulhadan (splicer or shredder) to form long twines of different thicknesses (pagkulhad). Then, the bariw strands are folded into halves (pagkyupis).  After that, the four strands are folded together in pairs; horizontally and vertically, with the glossy brown color in the outer surface.

The finished banig mat

Media with the banig weavers

Then, the weaving begins with the taytay, the framework of the entire mat. During this stage, the size and the length of the mat is already assured while the dimensions of the width are determined by weaving with the sides forward.  Then, edge-lines (sapay) are made on both sides of the mat, followed by the folding (hurip) of the remaining strands on the sides (or edge-line) to keep the weave tightly locked in place. Finally, unwanted and excess strands in the mat are cut (gutab).

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.

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