Have you tried the Mabukal Resort Slide for Life? Not yet? Well, you are missing a lot. Watch this video if you are not yet convinced to try the Slide for Life. Yes, I’m one of the two shrieking women in the video. Once you get the hang of it, you will actually be looking for a higher and longer slide. I hope Negros will have a zipline soon.

Celebrate 25 years of Negrense ingenuity & resilience at the Negros Trade Fair: Silver Tiangge 25 Years which will be held at the Rockwell Tent, Makati City on September 8-12, 2010. Different products from Negros will be featured, Negrense chefs will showcase local cuisines and there will also be a get-together of sugar industry stakeholders. A coffee table book titled Silver Tiangge: Celebrating 25 Years of the Negros Trade Fair will be launched during the opening.

To those who are familiar with the history of the Association of Negros Producers, it organized during the the sugar crisis of the 80′s when it was taking a great toll on the Negrenses. Fifteen housewives through the challenge and encouragement of then Governor Bitay Lacson, organized themselves. They attended trainings and seminars in different livelihoods and sold their products in what is to become the Negros Trade Fair.

Today, the Negrense entrepreneurs are still faced with challenges and the Negros Trade Fair is a proof of their ingenuity and resilience. Celebrate with them at Rockwell Tent, Makati City!

Schedule of Events at the 25th Negros Trade Fair

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 – Opening Day

- Anniversary Program and Book Launch of the Silver Tiangge: Celebrating 25 Years of the Negros Trade Fair

Thursday, September 9, 2010 – Rockwell Community Day

- Negros Kitchen Symphony featuring Negrense chefs concocting culinary delights using food products marketed at the Negros Trade Fair

- Masskara Night

Friday, September 10, 2010 – Sugar Day

- Sugar Cocktail Night /Pureza Fim Teaser

A get-together of sugar-industry players

Saturday, September 11, 2010 – Business Day

University of St. La Salle Business Forum / Alumnae Night

Sunday – September 12, 2010  9:00am – Holy Mass

]]> http://www.experiencenegros.com/25th-negros-trade-fair-at-rockwell-makati/feed/ 1 http://www.experiencenegros.com/milas-royal-bibingka/ http://www.experiencenegros.com/milas-royal-bibingka/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:10:55 +0000 Glady http://www.experiencenegros.com/?p=3061

Most people would always associate the town of Hinigaran with talaba (oyster). However, for those with a sweet tooth, it’s Mila’s Royal Bibingka which they look forward to.

Mila’s Restaurant is one of those establishments in Hinigaran that you may consider a household name. It’s located along the highway, near the plaza, so it’s easy to locate. There are also a lot of travelers who stopover for lunch and to buy pasalubong.

Old photographs with notes about the Church of Mary Magdalene and the Origin of Hinigaran adorn the walls of the restaurant. In a quite pleasant way, it gives you the feeling that the restaurant is also quite old and their food are hometown favorites.

I noticed a few framed magazine features of Mila’s Royal Bibingka hanging on the wall together with a plaque that really made me smile. It says, “Accredited Pee Stop” by the Women in Travel Bacolod City. A little recognition but that means a great deal to a traveler considering the lack of decent restrooms even in our tourist destinations. Unfortunately, I did not get to validate the plaque since somebody was ahead of me and my companions are quite in a hurry.

Mila’s Royal Bibingka costs P16 each and if you buy in a box they charge an additional P7. It tastes really good and will make a good pasalubong. You have to try their buko pie too. It’s P160 per plate. Namit gid.

Mila’s Royal Bibingka is also available at Hinigaran Pavilion during Panaad Festival. On regular days, it’s only available at Mila’s Restaurant in Hinigaran. But don’t fret. If you don’t like to travel all the way to Hinigaran to buy bibingka, you can call them at 391-7849. For orders above P500, they don’t charge for the fare. Otherwise, you add P40 on top of your order. You will then pick up your order at the dental clinic of Dr. Olaes at Rosario St., Bacolod City.

August 17, 2010 – Our graduation was the culmination of our journey as aspiring tour guides.  Yet another journey begins, that of us taking a bigger responsibility of promoting Negros Occidental as a tourist destination. Taking part in the 2nd NITI Tour Guiding Course has been a most rewarding one. Not only did I meet impassioned colleagues, I have also become more knowledgeable about the province. Through the expert guidance and tutelage of our mentors and lecturers, we now look at Negros with a different perspective.

There were 16 of us who enrolled and two left the course for various reasons. We’re quite a diverse mix. There’s a journalist, a retired educator, a retired doctor, a model, a triathlete, students and government employees. We started as strangers but as the course progressed, we got to know not only about Negros but also more about each other. I might not end up as a professional tour guide but gaining 13 new friends is definitely worth the 10 Saturdays I’ve devoted for the course.

I would surely miss the Saturdays we meet to discuss topics on tour guiding and the culture and history of Negros. Those were treasured memories. Now, I look forward to going out there, to rediscover and experience what we only talked aout in the classroom.  These experiences I would gladly share with anyone willing to listen.

Tourism can be a big boost to the local economy if managed well. Likewise, by promoting local tourism, we can also promote pride of place. Imagine if every Negrense would be proud of his province. Each individual will do his part in taking care of its cultural and natural heritage and encourage other people to visit the province. You need not be a tour guide in order to promote Negros. You just have to love it and be proud of it.

Congratulations to my colleagues! See you in our next tour. I would definitely love to go places with you.

[View with PicLens]

The Negros Daily Bulletin has featured our posts in their weekend edition for several weekends already under the Blog It column.  Fellow Negros bloggers Eric of Byahilo and Ruby Ricafrente of PinayMommyOnline were also previously featured in the same column.

It’s a good thing that our mainstream media are beginning to recognize blogs as important sources of information. For us bloggers, to be published somehow gave us the credibility that what we have written meant something. Check out the Blog It column of Negros Daily Bulletin weekend edition for more feature stories from our blog.

Negrense inventors won in various categories at the 2010 Visayas Islands Invention Contests and Exhibits of the Department of Science and Technology held at Amigo Plaza Mall in Iloilo City last August 12-14, 2010. With the theme “Filipino Inventions and Innovations: The Way Forward”, the event showcased inventions from all over Visayas.

Mr. Ramon Uy of RU Foundry got all the three spots under the Utility Model Category for his entries Pedal Driven Mobile Shredding Device, Shredding and Pulverizing Machine Assembly and Mobile Rock Crushing Device.

On the other hand, West Negros University’s Engr. Dioscoro Marañon and Engr. Paolo Petalver’s entry Bio Power Up Fuel Additive landed one of the three spots under the Creative Research – Likha Category.

Engr. Paolo Petalver with DOST 6 Regional Director Rowen Gelonga and TAPI Director Edgar Garcia

There were a total of 84 entries coming from all over Visayas which joined in 6 categories namely, Invention, Industrial Design, Utility Model, Creative Research (Likha), Creative Research (Sibol-College), and Creative Research (Sibol-High School). Three  qualifiers were chosen in each category. Each qualifier received cash incentive amounting to Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00). Regional finalists will be competing in the National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE) to be held in November 17-19, 2010 at the Trade Hall 1, SM City Cebu, Cebu City.

The 2010 Visayas Islands Invention Contests and Exhibits (VIICE) was organized by the Department of Science and Technology Visayas Cluster (DOST 6, DOST 7 and DOST 8 ) in collaboration with the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI).

The Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation, Inc. (NFEFI) has been fighting to reforest hundreds of hectares of denuded forest areas since 1984. Intensive agriculture and logging has reduced the forest cover of Negros to only 4% by 1992 from almost 95% forest cover 150 years ago.

Deforestation does not only strip the forest of endemic tree species, it also destroys the valuable habitat of our endemic wildlife. The Philippines has one of the most diverse wildlife in the world.  We also have a high endemism which means most species found in our country cannot be found anywhere in the world. For every forest cover that is destroyed, numerous wildlife species also loses their home. Human encroachment on their territory has pushed some species to the brink of extinction.

Since 1984, the NFEFI has been fighting to reforest hundreds of hectares in Negros. One of its major projects is the establishment of a breeding program for endangered species which are housed at the Biodiversity Conservation Center.  Located at the South Capitol Road near the Provincial Capitol, it serves as breeding center for endangered species and as a means of educating visitors on the importance of taking care of the habitat of these animals.

The Biodiversity Conservation Center serves as haven for several of our endangered endemic species.

• Visayan Spotted Deer – considered the rarest deer in the world because it is already extinct in 95% of its natural habitat.
• Visayan Warty Pig – considered as the most critically endangered species of wild pigs in the world. They used to be widely distributed in the six major islands in the Visayas but can only be found now in the remaining forests of Negros and Panay
• Visayan Tarictic Hornbill – already considered extinct in Ticao, Guimaras and Sicogon Islands, their number is estimated to be around 1,800 in the wild in their remaining habitats in Panay and Negros Islands
• Visayan Leopard Cat – kittens are usually mistaken as domestic cats when found by farmers in sugarcane fields. They eventually die in captivity.

But they are not yet safe from extinction and they are already considered endangered because their numbers are dwindling in their natural habitat. Through the efforts of NFEFI, some of these endemic species were already bred in captivity. Just last year, the Visayan Warty Pig gave birth to four piglets. Once these animals are ready, they will be returned in the wild, where they belong.

There are still much to be done and NFEFI cannot do it alone. They need the help of the Negrenses in order to save and help protect these endemic species for the next generation.

If you are interested in helping the NFEFI in its different projects, be a member for a mere Php1,000 a year for individuals and P3,000 a year for corporations and organizations. For further information, please contact NFEFI at 034 433 9234 or email negrosforests@gmail.com

The Visayan spotted deer (Cervus alfredi) is considered as the most endangered deer in the world. They used to be widely distributed in the six islands in the Visayas but are now considered extinct in four of these islands and are now believed to exist in the islands of Negros and Panay. It is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The Visayan spotted deer is no bigger than an ordinary dog. It is usually dark brown with light colored spots on its body. Unlike other spotted deer, the Visayan spotted deer do not lose its spots even when it reach adulthood.

In 2009, a team of British and Filipino scientists of the Negros Interior Biodiversity Expedition (NIBE) conducted a rapid assessment of the interior portion of the North Negros Natural Park which has not been done before.

Results of the expedition revealed exciting details about the biodiversity of North Negros Natural Park (NNNP) but the most important of all are signs that the rare Visayan spotted deer still lives in the forests of Negros. The scientists saw droppings and footprints of the spotted deer and that they believed belonged to two herds of the spotted deer with around 300 animals. It was the first time in 10 years that signs of their existence in their natural habitat were recorded.

Like the other endangered wildlife, humans are the biggest threat to the Visayan spotted deer. Loss of habitat due to kaingin, illegal logging, and agriculture are the major causes of forest degradation.  Negros used to be 90% forests and now only 4% of that remains. These animals are also hunted for their meat and some are sold as exotic pets.

The Negros  Forests Ecological Foundation, Inc. has a captive breeding program for the Visayan Spotted Deer. The animals are kept for educational and breeding purposes at the NFEFI Biodiversity Conservation Center located near the Capitol Lagoon.

The Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons) or  baboy talunon, as we locally call it, is considered the most critically endangered species of wild pigs in the world. The Visayan warty pigs are endemic to the six islands in the Visayas but are already extinct in four islands. They can only be found now in their natural habitat in small population in the remaining forests of Negros and Panay islands.

There are two subspecies of Visayan Warty Pig based on islands of origin. The Cebu Warty pig (Sus cebifrons cebifron) from Cebu which is believed to be already extinct and the Negros Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons negrinus) which is from Negros. The Visayan Warty Pig in Panay island is believed to be third sub-specie, however the required studies have not yet been conducted to confirm this. Today, Visayan Warty Pig is used to refer to the species found in Negros and Panay.

Distinct Features

The Visayan warty pigs are dark gray to black in color. They are usually small compared to domestic pigs with the males bigger than the females sometimes up to four-fold.

A distinct characteristic of the species is the growth of a tuft of hair on the crown of the head of the boar during mating season, often covering the face and obscuring the eyes. A rather handsome feature which makes the boar look like it has a Mohawk haircut which also attracts the female pig. The male Visayan warty pigs also possess large canines which protrude from the mouth as tusks. The species has small facial warts, thus the name. These warts are part of the warty pigs’ defense when fighting occurs.

Another distinguishing feature of the Visayan warty pig is the whitish stripe that crosses the bridge of the nose and follows the jaw line. This mark is not found in other wild pig species.

Young Visayan warty pigs are also marked with white stripes that run along their back. They lose these markings when they become adults.

Status and Conservation Efforts

The Visayan warty pig has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since it is now considered extinct in 95% of its natural habitat. Their number continues to dwindle due to loss of their natural habitat and hunting.

Forests in Negros have been cleared for agricultural purposes thus destroying the natural habitat of the warty pug.  The Visayan warty pigs are omnivorous therefore their diet is a mix of fruits, roots, tubers and vegetables. Sometimes they forage on cultivated crops thus they are hunted by farmers as pests.

Where there are humans, there are domestic animals. Contamination due to hybridization with free-range domestic pigs has also been reported, further reducing the number of the species in the wild.

Fortunately, there are already efforts to save the Visayan warty pig.  There are currently breeding centers established in Panay and Negros in order to increase their number and to hopefully reintroduce them in their natural habitat. Zoos in UK, Europe and the United States have also established captive breeding programs to help the conservation efforts.

In Negros Occidental, the Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation, Inc. has successfully bred the Visayan warty pig in captivity. Last December 2009, four piglets were born at the NFEFI Biodiversity Conservation Center. This might be a small step in increasing the number of the Visayan warty pigs but a big leap in saving the species from extinction.

References:

Ultimate Ungulate
IUCN Red List

The first time you see a Visayan leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis rabori) kitten, the first thought that might cross to mind is Puss in Boots in the movie Shrek. They look so adorable and vulnerable that you would want to take them home as pets. They are vulnerable, yes, but they are not suitable as pets and should not be taken as one.

The Visyan Leopard Cat is one of two endemic species of leopard cats in the Philippines and it is considered as one of the smallest and threatened cats in the world. They used to be ware attracted to places where there are rats that’s why they can often be found in sugarcane fields.  When farmers find their kittens, they often mistook them as domestic cats. Rearing them in captivity requires expertise thus they eventually die.

According to staff of the Negros Forests Ecological Foundation Inc. (NFEFI), it is quite difficult to breed the Visayan leopard cat (maral) in captivity. They NFEFI Biodiversity Conservation Center have leopard cats which were rescued and brought to the center.

Some are not as lucky. This cat may need more than its fabled nine lives in order to survive extinction. It needs the help of humans, also its biggest threat. We can help in educating other people in protecting the leopard cat.  We can also donate to NFEFI and aid in their conservation efforts. Contact NFEFI at 433-9234.