Fiestas » gerryruiz photoblog mark II

Eastern Visayas’ tuba has come a long way! Cheers!

Fiestas, photography, Special Events, Tourist destinations, Travel 5 Responses »

Oct 162011

For hundreds of years, the Eastern Visayas region has been among the top coconut producers in the country.

And deeply embedded in the festive and colorful heritage of the Waray culture is the magic of its local coconut wine concoction – tuba.

The best tuba producers of Eastern Visayas converged last Friday, October 14 for the year’s biggest tuba festival – the 4th Oktubafest at the Leyte Park Hotel Gymnasium in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines.

The festival saw the participation of some 25 local government units showcasing their best tuba products from Tacloban City and the towns of Julita, La Paz, Dulag, Mayorga, Tanauan, Palo, Alangalang, Tunga, Carigara, Barugo, Babatngon and Burauen of Leyte province; Hinabangan, Villareal, Calbiga, Lawaan, Basey, Sta. Rita of Samar province; Balangiga, Sulat, Guiuan and Oras of Eastern Samar, as well as from Limasawa Island of Southern Leyte.

Highlights of whole-day, fun-filled Oktubafest included competitions in Best Bahal, Best Bahalina, Best Kutil and the Best Tuba-infused Dishes.

Yes, the tuba, indeed, has come a long way!

The annual tuba festival is being held under the auspices of the AnWaray Partylist, the Leyte Provincial Government, the Department of Tourism Region 8 and the Philippine Coconut Authority.

Cheers to all!

Kutil – tuba concoction:

Tacloban Fiesta fever is over (w/ a bitter aftertaste)

Fiestas, photography No Responses »

Jul 052011

Human and truck barricade stop the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival parade along Real St., Tacloban City. Photo by Wen Ruiz Soledad.

The Tacloban Fiesta is finally over leaving everyone with mixed feelings about the various activities held during the last few days of the month of June (Tacloban Fiesta is June 29 & 30 but fiesta activities start as early on the 2nd week of June till the 1st week of July.)

Foremost in the minds of most was the boo-boo last June 27, 2011 when the City government barricaded and blocked this year’s Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival parade from proceeding along its traditional route around the city. They were implementing a traffic ordinance, city officials say, despite a TRO issued by the court on the implementation of the new Sangyaw ordinance making Sangyaw as the only official festival for the Tacloban Fiesta celebration. The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival – having been around for some 25 years and enjoyed by many for so long a time – was, in effect, “banned.” But not without a collective show of disappointment and protest by many Taclobanons and guests alike.

It’s always risky business when you try to legislate tradition, I said. The common wish of all for next year is for a unified, harmonious celebration of the Tacloban Fiesta honoring Sto. Ñiño and letting be existing traditional fiesta festivals, sans all political innuendoes. Or a joint, super extravaganza fiesta festival, why not? But this could be plain wishful thinking, I’m afraid, unless real change happens in the minds of city officials and they’re able rise above personal pride and parochial ways of thinking.

Not to forget: at the end of that day, general Public Interest and value of the Greater Good were thrown out of the window leaving fiesta revelers holding on to a repugnant end of the deal. Tsk tsk tsk. Talk about service to the people!

Photos courtesy of Wen Ruiz Soledad

Search for Ms Tacloban 2011 Candidates

Beauty Contests, Fiestas, photography, Special Events, Tourist destinations, Travel 8 Responses »

Jun 072011

The candidates in the Search for Ms. Tacloban 2011 were formally introduced to the media and the public yesterday, June 06, 2011 at Baluarte Beach Resort during the prejudging selection for the Best in Swimwear and the Ms Photogenic awards where yours truly was one of the judges.

The aspirants: