Iloilo's Biggest Batchoy

When you mention the word Iloilo, one of the things that would really pop-up into your mind is the world famous La Paz Batchoy. Although its yet being debated on who was really the first to start making the batchoy concoction, everyone who is in the market is advertising "Original La Paz Bachoy", it is for sure that it started in where else but La Paz.

According to a school publication that I've read, the batchoy was first conceived by Federico Guilergan Sr. in 1938. His Chinese customers wanted him to add some noodles on his famous soup, and so the batchoy was born.


Last January 22, I was able to shoot the attempt for the world record of biggest bowl of batchoy. And here are some of the pictures from the event...

The bowl was made of stainless steel. It was reported to have a diameter of 15 feet, a height of 3 feet and a capacity of 3500 liters.

The staff of Deco's La Paz Batchoy was very busy preparing for the event.

Oops. The container of the noodles fell from the chair to the ground. I just don't know why the guy still continued to use the noodles in that container. I wasn't able to take a picture of the incident because the guy preparing the noodles hampered my view and I still had to remove my lens cap. But you can still clearly see some of the noodles lying on the ground.


Mr. Guillergan.

The famous Marc Logan was also there to cover the event.

The composer of the Deco's La Paz Batchoy theme song.

Ribbon cutting ceremony.

First bowl of the batch.

After the long wait, all the kids enjoyed their batchoy in the end; all 300 of them.

Respect Photojournalists

by Tara Yap

As a practicing photojournalist and as an officer of the Iloilo chapter of the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP), I find the blatant physical harassment of PPP-Aklan chapter president Joe Haresh Tanodra and PPP-Iloilo member Ricky Alejo last Sunday during the highlight of the Dinagyang festival as utterly uncalled for.

I am disgusted with the manner in which retired police chief inspector Dionisio Duco and two police officers implemented the so-called disciplinary action by dragging Joe and Ricky out of the Freedom Grandstand as if they were rowdy dogs.

While the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) wanted to maintain peace and order, what happened was the direct result of a flawed media guideline for covering the event.

Of the almost 600 “media” IDs released, the percentage given to legitimate media was less than 50%. The others were mostly given to members of various photography clubs here in Iloilo and elsewhere.

I have no problem with legit photography clubs here in Iloilo . After all, they mount group exhibits showcasing the Dinagyang and Iloilo .

I also don’t have a problem with recognized bloggers such as Marcos Caratao Jr. of exploreiloilo.com, Eric Dee of byahilo.com and Bernardo Arellano III of taralets.co.cc.

These photographers and bloggers, who do not belong to any newspaper, radio or TV, rigorously gave Dinagyang the publicity it needs even at their own expense.

But since “media” IDs were handed to other photo enthusiasts, they almost had the same rights and privileges accorded to an accredited journalist covering the event. As a result, the police had no way of differentiating legitimate journalists from mere photo enthusiasts. It would have been more logical and more convenient if a separate photographer’s ID was issued to them and a separate area was designated for them.

But at the very least, kicking out two legitimate photojournalists because they were not in the designated area during a public event is nonsensical (I personally was the one who processed their media IDs, but their request to be at the Freedom Grandstand was denied several times while “media” IDs were even given to mere photo enthusiasts). At the very most, it barred two legitimate photojournalists from achieving what their jobs require—capturing the euphoria that defines the Dinagyang including the performances of the tribes and the VIPs who came to watch.

I am also very disgusted by a radio broadcaster referring to Joe as a “media-media” (the derogatory term for pseudo journalists who milk politicians, government officials, etc).

Joe has been a photojournalist for 25 years and is very well known in the circle of Philippine photojournalism. His experience of news coverage is not only limited to shooting the major festivals of the country, but also natural disasters, political rallies, the war in Mindanao , and Malacañang. He was even sent on assignments in India , Singapore and Thailand .

Ironically, the man whom Duco and the two cops dragged has helped the Dinagyang over the years. As a matter of fact, it was Joe’s photograph that appeared in the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (/PDI/) last January 28, 2008. Joe also managed to capture two worthy shots of the Dinagyang, which were printed on the front page of /PDI/ in two previous issues.

More significantly, Joe’s photo of a Dinagyang warrior holding a Santo Niño was the same photographic image that was used for the 2007 promotional materials of the festival—in posters, brochures, a 20-foot billboard that was displayed near a gas station in Jaro district for almost two years! (Joe joined the photo contest, where he never won or was given royalty rights for the image, but his photograph was still used for promotional purposes. The rules and regulations of the annual Dinagyang photo contest remain flawed as it clearly violates Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines .)

Ricky, on his part, is very instrumental in letting the world know of the wrath hurled by Typhoon Frank. It was Ricky’s still photos that CNN picked up through the international news wire Agence France-Presse (AFP) last June 2008.

Notwithstanding the technicalities of what happened last Sunday, this is a blatant insult to practicing photojournalists here in Iloilo , especially to Arnold Almacen, Chris Fernandez and I.

As photojournalists, our photographic images transcend written words printed in the pages of newspapers and magazines or hours and hours of radio airtime. To say the least, we have done our part not just in promoting the Dinagyang, but the very welfare of the people of Iloilo and Panay .

As photojournalists, we should not be treated as criminals or as dispensable entities. As photojournalists, we should be respected.

Just to add to what Tara said, I was also evicted last year at stage 4. The cop who they say was from Villa, Arevalo was very rude. They treated me like a stray animal. Thanks to my friend Bernardo Arellano III of taralets.co.cc, the guy in the red shirt, who helped me manage the situation. These cops must be taught a lesson. They must serve the people, not harass them and treat them like animals... And I thought they were professionals...

Iloilo's Luces in the Sky 2009

This is the second time that I've been to this event. And all I can say is that it always delivers. I'm really impressed in the spectacular display of fireworks that light-up the night sky. As usual, there was no parking space available in SM City Mandurriao so we had to find space somewhere else.

The competition was held last January 23-24, 2009. The home crowd cheered as they witnessed the Scorpions, the local representative for the competition. The competition was fierce, but DSS fireworks from Dumaguete came out to be the winner. Here are some of my shots of the event...

For more pictures of the event, check out http://www.exploreiloilo.com/2nd-luces-in-the-sky-iloilo-dinagyang-fireworks-competition-2009.html and http://www.byahilo.com/2009/01/30/luces-in-the-sky-fireworks-competition/.

Atiatihan Odessey Part 2: Kalibo, Aklan

When I ask somebody that is foreign to Ati-atihan what he/she likes about the festival, the person almost always answers: "Its because I can participate in the celebration."

When I'm at theDinagyang in Iloilo, I always wonder how the people really enjoy. They just watch under the scorching heat, buy overpriced tickets and cheer for the tribes. Sometimes I cant really grasp the sense of celebration. I mean, where's the feast? Of course there's lots of food down the road. What I mean is free food, like in fiestas. Here in Kalibo, when the days of the celebration come, you can almost always be certain that someone can feed you. I guess that's one strong point of the Ati-atihan festival. You can just storm into a house without any invitation and eat all you can.

The next thing that people probably enjoy the most is the "sad-sad". Its a free for all street dance. No formations needed, no steps that must be synchronized with others. Just pure self expression while shouting "Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño" meaning "Long live the Holy Child!"

This year, I was almost able to cover the whole event. Almost covered because I spent too much time enjoying with my friends that I went home in the wee hours of the morning. But, I was still able to make-up for lost shots in the afternoon. And here's the story...

Hala Bira! Puera pasma!

In the afternoon, my friends and I went to the center of the festivities, Pastrana Park. But we went there a bit too early and none of the tribes were out yet. So we decided to go to the Product showcase.

Inside would make any Aklanon proud. There were lots of stuff inside, and the ones that caught my attention was the piña products. They were really amazing and elegant for my taste, plus the fact that most were really cheap.




After a while, we decided to go and check if the Tribes were already out. And they were. So we decide to shoot. Most of the costumes were really entertaining. We saw real Aeta's participating in the event. I always find it amusing to see them because legend has it that the festival originated when the Borneans smeared themselves with soot in order to show their solidarity among the Aeta's. You can check the legend in my old post The Barter of Panay.

curiosity

real Aeta's participating in the Ati-atihan

save the Earth!

warrior

Phineas and Ferb

I really enjoy covering the festival. You don't need long zooms to get a nice shot. You can just walk inside of the tribe and take pictures. All I can say is its one of the most photographer-friendly festivals in the island of Panay.

like I've said before, everyone enjoys the festival

innocence

the Champions

starting 'em young

eyes wide shut

Police are scattered around town, making sure that peace is attained in the celebration

Aklanons never forget that the celebration is always about the Sto. Niño. And after the Sunday mass in the morning, there is a procession in the afternoon. Ati-atihan groups parade for hours together with their beautifully adorned Sto. Niño "caro's", devotees carrying Sto. Niño image and bamboo torches that create floods of light beginning at the town plaza and ending at the Kalibo Cathedral for the "Paeapak".

devotion

After several hours, the procession arrives in the Kalibo Cathedral. And people usually get the flowers from the "caro's" and later proceed to pray and fall in line for the "paeapak".

paeapak

Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño!

After attending my first procession after several years, I've now rediscovered the meaning of Ati-atihan. People come for fun and adventure, but its the passion for spirituality that drives this festival. I have seen it in their eyes, and hopefully next year, I'll be here to see it once more.