24/03/2025
THE FIRST SLOW FOOD FESTIVAL IN MOUNTAIN PROVINCE: The community of Lias hosted the 1st Man-or-ornong Taku-Barlig Slow Food Festival on March 22-23 with the theme, “Man-us-usa taku ay mangaywan sin tawid taku (Let us be one in taking care of our heritage).”
The event aimed to introduce Slow Food to the community and to encourage local efforts to preserve heirloom crops, indigenous food traditions and cuisines, promote forest conservation, and champion overall sustainability in Barlig. It is dubbed as one of the country’s last ecological frontiers that has seen emerging threats in recent years.
Taking inspiration from the international Terra Madre celebration, the event featured an exhibit of traditional cuisines, rainforest-grown coffee, wild plants that are being used as food and drinks, endemic fishes, and healthy snacks made from local ingredients. The local officials likewise demonstrated the cooking of intum and lenau. Intum consists of wild and heirloom vegetables wrapped in banana leaves while lenau consists of native fishes and river insects wrapped in reef leaves before being cooked in fire.
Gracing the event is Senator Loren Legarda who participated as guest speaker through a recorded message. She encouraged the community to continue preserving their food traditions and forests.
Other speakers who shared inspirational messages were Mr. Ethan Hernandez, Assistant Professor and social media influencer; Ms. Angela M. Fagutao
Supervising Tourism Operations Officer who delivered the message of DOT-CAR Director Jovi Ganongan; Mr. Roger Sacyaten, Provincial Tourism Officer who represented Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan; Ms. Marygrace Asag Banaag, MSWD Officer of Barlig who delivered the message of Mayor Clark Ngaya, and Mr. Lam-en Gonnay, co-founder of one of the communities of Slow Food Pasil.
To deepen the community’s understanding and appreciation of sustainability, a series of talks were also conducted. Professor Hernandez shared the importance of forest conservation to biodiversity and to climate resilience. Ms. Rowena Gonnay, co-founder of one of the Slow Food communities in Pasil, shared their journey of preserving their heirloom rice and how they have been representing their community in international events. Ms Rizalyn P. Dangiw, Tourism Officer of Pasil, shared how the local government have been supporting their initiatives. Further, Dr. Penelope Domogo, co-founder of Gaia Cafe, shared the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how this can be supported by promoting local produce while Mr. Rafael Dionisio, founder of Make a Difference Travels, shared how they have been reviving mountains and developing livelihoods for indigenous peoples though agroforestry and ecotourism. In addition, Fr. Marcial Lloyd shared a powerful rendition and a brief message about nature and spirituality. Moreover, Mr. Eli Natividad, founder of Farm to Cup Philippines, shared their practices on agroforestry coffee farm development and their milestones while Mr Pierre Camhol, founder of Tipsy Bulul, shared how he develops specialty wines using organic ingredients.
Meanwhile, a community forum was organized to gain the insights of the members regarding Slow Food and how it can further be promoted in the area.
P.S. The organizers of the event would like to thank the local barangay officials of Lias Silangan and Lias Kanluran (special mention to Barangay Captain Rexibar Charaychay and team); the Office of Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan; the Office of Mayor Clark C. Ngaya; Members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Barlig; the teachers and learners of Lias National High School and Lias Elementary School; community members who donated for the event; and the whole community of Lias and representatives from Barlig and Kadaclan cluster for helping turn this project into fruition!
