“Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo”

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) in the region is mulling of adopting the ‘Suroy Suroy sa Sugbo’ tourism program of the provincial government of Cebu.
Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that as part of the plan, they are thinking of conducting an immersion in Cebu to exactly know what is being done and offered during the tour.

After doing the emersion, they will be talking with tourism officers in the region to discuss how this will be implemented, especially in areas where this program are first to be piloted, she added.

“It is just a matter of identifying what one municipality has and will complement it with the other town. We do not want to offer something that LGU A and LGU B will be offering to the same tourists. So when we do the cluster, when we do the caravan, we will make sure that there will be no duplication,” Tiopes added.

Tiopes also said that instead of Suroy Suroy, the region’s version will be called ‘Suroy Sudoy’ to give consideration to the bilingual nature of Eastern Visayas residents.

“We are rich in history and culture and arts, hindi lang masyadong na- highlight. When we say heritage, it is manifested to structures, it is also manifested in our traditions, our culture is manifested in our food, performances, and arts and so many various ways,” Tiopes said.

Among the historical events that happened in the region include the coming of Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon, Guiuan, Eastern Samar; the holding of the First Mass in Limasawa, Southern Leyte; the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Palo, Leyte; and the Balangiga Encounter in Balangiga, Eastern Samar, among others.

Popular local delicacies of the region includes the ‘binagol’ and chocolate moron from Dagami, Leyte; and heirloom dishes in Samar.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

PALO, Leyte– The kakanin’ or local delicacies are given importance in this year’s Christmas celebration in this town.

The local government unit had organized the “kakanin festival” showcasing the trademark native delicacies of the municipality like the “suman,” a delicacy made from glutinous rice cooked in sweetened coconut milk.

Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla said that aside from showcasing suman, they also allow other native delicacy makers to display and sell their products in food stalls they provided inside the compound of the Palo Cathedral.

More than 20 food stalls sell different types of suman and other native delicacies like puto bumbong, palitaw, among others, beginning on Friday (Dec.26), the start of the nine-day Simbang Gabi.

Selling of the native delicacies is until January 3. Winners of the best kakanin will also be announced on that day.

Mayor Petilla said that kakanin industry particularly suman is popular in her municipality.
Some makers had made some innovations to the suman product to give variations from its traditional taste.

Some of these suman had ube flavor, meat, turmeric, among other flavors.
Mayor Petilla added that she already asked help from the Department of Science and Technology to assist native delicacy producers in extending the shelf life of their products through the use of food technology like retorting.

“Instead of just three to four days, it should last for at least even less than a year if it is package properly so we can market it not only here in the province but even in national and international market,” Petilla said.

“Packaging is very important including on how we market it,” she added.
Palo opens its annual Christmas festival dubbed as’ Duaw ha Palo, Lamrag han Palo’ where major areas of the town are decorated with dazzling lights and colorful decorations that will amaze local visitors.

Also lighted with the bamboo Christmas tree are the municipal building, the tunnel of lights, Purisima Bridge, Bernard Reed Bridge, and the town public market.
Governor Carlo Jericho Petilla together with board members Wilson Uy, Raissa Villasin, and Carlo Loreto, graced the opening program held on Dec 14 at the Palo public plaza.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Nine days before Christmas and in time with the start of the nine early dawn mass also known as “Simbang Gabi,” the local government unit of Arteche in Eastern Samar opened its annual Christmas Festival.

Highlighting this year’s Christmas Festival in the municipality is the “Karan’on Bazaar” and the “Panarit Pastores” ha Belen.”

Karan’on is a Waray term for ‘kakanin’ or local delicacies. The Karan-on ha Pasko Bazaar aims to provide income opportunities and putting to spotlight the local bakers called “paragkaran’on” or kakanin makers and their creations during the Christmas season.

Only 10 participants are given the opportunity to sell their kakanin at the bazaar located outside the town parish with one will be selected as the best karan’on this Dec. 22.

Mayor Roland Boie Evardone said that holding the bazaar does not only provide an opportunity to native delicacy makers but even to the sellers of root crops, coconut, glutinous rice, and other raw materials needed to cook the karan’on.

“This will provide economic activity to Arteche residents because tourism is not only about picture taking but also about giving economic opportunity to the locals,” Mayor Evardone said.

Meanwhile, the Panarit, from the word “sarit” or ask permission— is a song written and sung in Waray that tells about the birth of Jesus and the journey of Joseph and Mary asking permission to seek shelter from houses in Bethlehem until the birth of Jesus.

Pastores ha Belen is a group of locals singing the Panarit at night in every household during the Christmas Season which starts on December 16 until the 22nd of December.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)