March 2014 ~ SEA 30 - Batad Study Tour

Celebrating Rice

Posted on 12:10 PM by Sea 30 - Batad Study Tour with No comments

Not every Filipino knows this but April is actually the Panagyaman Rice Festival Month.

Panagyaman is an Ilocano term that means thanksgiving, commonly referring to a good harvest that deserves to be celebrated.The Festival is a gesture of "pasasalamat" (Thanksgiving) to the thousands of farmers who work the soil to grow rice and other basic agricultural crops that provide nourishment to millions of Filipinos.

According to the data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology on October, 2012, show that three tablespoons of cooked rice (equivalent to 14 grams of uncooked rice) daily are misused by every Filipino daily, or 5.11 kilograms of rice annually. This is quite alarming considering the fact that rice is a staple food not only herein the Philippines, but also in our neighbour Asian Countries.

In addition to this, rice also plays an important role in our culture even from the beginning of time in our country. . Ani Festival in Dingras, IlocosNorte, Pasalamat Festival in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, and Pahiyas Festival in Lucban are just a few examples of festivals that celebrates rice and agriculture in the Philippines. In Kiangan, BakleadNagacadan is celebrated after the harvest season to express their hearted gratitude for a bountiful harvest. Abundant “binakle” (ricecake) and “baya” (ricewine) are found in every household for anybody to partake with. This is usually celebrated during the month of September. Pagdiwata is the Tagbanuas’ feast of thanksgiving for a bountiful rice harvest along with food offerings to deities and departed kin. The rite involves men and partaking of rice wine with the spirits.

Here is a list of some rice festivals in the Philippines:

image source: elegantcircleinn.com

1. Sinanggiyaw Festival

image source: thehappytrip.com

2. Pasalamat Festival

image source: asuntarufino.blogspot.com

3. Pahiyas Festival

image source: hmongplus.com

4. Mannalon Festival

The Truth About the Ifugao Rice

Posted on 11:49 AM by Sea 30 - Batad Study Tour with No comments

When we, city-dwellers, come to the marketplace, we look for the best but affordable rice. Undoubtedly, Ifugao rice is one of the rarer and better variants. What we do not know, however, is that it is much more expensive than what its city price tag usually says.

We were ourselves pounding rice grains when a local farmer comes to tell us this. She says that in the city, (or to speak more specifically, in the retail level), Ifugao rice is sold at a very cheap price. In fact, Ifugao rice would cost about a hundred pesos per kilo.

It honestly was pretty surprising to hear at first. But if we think about it, this number is justifiable. There are no actual hectares-wide plains in Ifugao; they grow rice only in the terraces. Moreover, the grains need to be carried on shoulders from the terraces to the jeepney stop on the next mountain. Definitely, Ifugao rice can only cost so much.

She adds, however, that they don't sell much of their harvest since what they get from the terraces is really just enough for them. What they have can only provide what they need.