8 Magazine and WarayClub.com are proud media partners of this exciting event!

ANIMAZE! Tacloban Cosplay Competition

This event is organized by 5th Elements Productions and Club 6500 together with:
OTACU – Anime Alliance
Tacloban’s Cosplayers Guild
UP-Animo

Verbatim from the official page, here are the rules of the competition:

ANIMAZE! Tacloban Cosplay Competition 2011

Well guess what – most of what goes into those wonderful weddings are sourced locally. And for the first time, events organizers and wedding suppliers got together for Tacloban Wedding Expo 2011.

Check out the event photos and scroll down for our list of the exhibitors, their services and contact information -

Dessert table treats by Jade’s Creations

Amiel Enage celebration cakes

Bridal gowns, groom and entourage attire by AJ Creative Memories

Studio Ni Juan by Joey Reyna’s StudioOne

Event souvenirs from AJ Creative Memories

Souvenirs and Crystal craft from AJ Creative Memories

Shoot & Print Photobooth

Chef Valerie Nombre of Tacloban Royal Seafoods Restaurant

Paul of Studio One’s “Studio ni Juan Photobooth”

Videography, Event films by Panx Solajes Productions

Videography, Event films by Panx Solajes Productions

Pagpaguitan Photography

Wedding planner and event organizer/host – Maria May Militante

Dessert table treats by Jade’s Creations

Marres Fashion Accessories by Michille Sabulao

Event styling by Leo Empillo Omoy

Event styling by Leo Empillo Omoy

State-of-the-art airbrush makeup by Joseph Ryan Amotto

Quality airbrush makeup by Joseph Ryan Amotto

Artistic, quality makeup on your special day, by Joseph Ryan

Souvenir wedding cupcakes from Jade’s Creations

Invitations and crystal crafts from AJ Creative Memories

iMobile Bar

Crystal craft from AJ Creative Memories

Bridal crystal bouquets from AJ Creative Memories

Cirque Mobile Bar

Cirque Mobile Bar

Three-layer wedding cake and cheescake from Jade’s

You may buy your copies of 8 Magazine at these Distributors/Sellers (Starting April 26, 2011)

TACLOBAN CITY

1. Tres Niñas Printing Press, T. Claudio St. (in front of Sacred Heart College), Tacloban City,

2. Leyte Park Hotel Resort, (Front desk) Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City,

3. D’ Coach, Club 65Hundred, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City,

4. Na Ning Sports Bar and Lounge, Club 65Hundred, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City,

5. Twirl Berry, Real St., (Beside DYVL), Tacloban City,

6. Cafe Lucia, Rotary Center, Sagkahan, Real St., Tacloban City,

7. Ocho Seafood and Grill, Sen. Enage St, Tacloban City,

8. God Send Grocery, Real St., cor. Sampaguita St., Tacloban City,

9. Calle Z Cafe, Independencia St., Tacloban City,

10. Leyte Gulf Travel and Tours, Independencia St.

11. Tacloban Plaza Hotel, Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City,

12. Royal Seafood Restaurant, Romualdez St, Tacloban City,

13. Panato Bread House, Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City

14. REX Bookstore, Marasbaras, Tacloban City

15. Red Salt Restaurant, Club 65Hundred, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City,

16. Caliente Bar and Grill, Club 65Hundred, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City,

17. Leyte Asia Trading, Zamora St., Tacloban City

18. Children’s Place, Burgos Street, Tacloban City

19. Cornerstop, Marasbaras, Tacloban City

20. GV Hotel, Avenida Veteraos Cor. Juan Luna St., Tacloban City

21. Hotel Alejandro, Paterno Street, Tacloban City

22. Hi-Way, Gomez Street, Tacloban City

23. Kokoys, Sto. Nino Street, Tacloban City

24. Leyte Paperworld, M.H. del Pilar St., Tacloban City

25. Mayang,

26. Michelle’s, Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City

27. Mikyu

28. STORE

29. Wilmar’s, Marasbaras, Tacloban City

30. Wilmar’s, Calanipawan Road, Tacloban City

31. Zilog, M.H. Del Pilar St. Tacloban City

LEYTE

1. Palo Artshoppe, San Salvador St., Palo, Leyte (beside former Palo Library)

2. Abuyog (M)

3. Adedadidi, M.L. Quezon St. Baybay

4. EKS Mart, Tres Martirez Street, Baybay

5. Carjams Grocery Store, Hilongos

6. Jercel Internet Cafe, Hilongos

7. Shoppers, Carigara

8. HYL Enterprises, Sogod

9. New Season, Ormoc

10. Ormoc Commercium, Ormoc

11. Gladys, Ormoc

12. Villamor, Ormoc

13. Roumel, Catarman

14. Botica Bermudo and Grocerette, Acebedo St., Palo, Leyte (besides Good Morning Bakery)

SAMAR

1. Abesamis, Catbalogan

2. Catbalogan Novelty, Catbalogan

3. Lester Lace, Catbalogan

4. Petron Cat, Catbalogan

5. Isla Cafe, Calbayog

6. Justmar Marketing, Calbayog

7. Bernard Uy Monterey, Borongan

8. Mathews, Borongan

9. Wilsam Uptown Mall, Borongan

10. Paperhaws, Guiuan

BILIRAN

1. Naval Supermart, Naval, Biliran

PLUS! At a very affordable cover price of Php98 only, 8 Magazine offers discounts to bulk purchases of 50 copies and above.

For bulk orders, e-mail us at sales@8-magazine.com

A. General Information

1. The contest is open to all amateur & professional photographers, except employees of DOT, Leyte Province LGU & members of CCLS.
2. Registration forms may be secured from LEYTE GULF TRAVEL & TOURS, Calle Z Cafe, 39 Independencia St. Tacloban City from 9AM–6PM. Look for Ms. Joyce Maniebo (321-7966; 523-7966).
3. Deadline for registration is June 26, 2011 at 6PM.
4. Registration Fee is THREE HUNDRED PESOS (PhP300). Fee covers a Contest ID allowing access to PINTADOS-KASADYAAN activities & entitles one to submit three (3) entries. The ID No. will be used in identifying entries submitted. In case of disqualification, registration fees are not refundable.
5. Eligible entries: photos taken of festival participants & general scene during the PINTADOS-KASADYAAN Parade & Festival on June 27, 2011.
6. Deadline for entry submission is July 2, 2011, 5PM. Entries must be sent by email to PhotoContest@cclsphotography.com. Entries should follow filename format: REGISTRATION NUMBER, followed by Letter A, for entry one; B, for entry two; and C, for entry three. Example: 1234C.jpg.
7. Entries must be candid shots, not deliberately posed. Photographers are not allowed to bring their own models to the festival.
8. Entries must not contain identifying marks, watermarks, borders and frames, signs and address.
9. Winners will be posted at CCLS’ Facebook page & will be notified by email.
10. Awarding of Prizes will be on July 30, 2011.

B. Rules of the Contest
1. Photos must be taken from actual events during the PINTADOS-KASADYAAN 2011 Street Dancing and Festival Competition on June 27, 2011 in Tacloban City. Photos taken of any previous PINTADOS-KASADYAAN festival nor of any other festival in other places will be disqualified.
2. Entries submitted must be 1200 pixels on the shortest side in JPEG format. Photo Exif or metadata must be retained.
3. Participants can digitally enhance their pictures but should be limited to usual darkroom techniques, particularly: color correction, brightness & contrast control of entire image or part of it (dodging or burning), cropping, resizing (enlarging or downsizing) and image rotation. Disallowed are: the use of cloning or healing brush; use of digital filters; no details shall be erased from the photo (except in the case of cropping) nor added to it; and no photo composite (combining images).
4. The photograper of winning entries shall retain ownership of their photo. However, the Foundation shall have the right to use any of the entries for its promotional & management purposes with proper acknowledgment of their authors.
5. The decision of the BOARD OF JUDGES is final and unappealable.

Photo by gerryruiz
Poster layout by Rommel Cabrera

As a child, my aunt once took me to Dagami to visit relatives who made binagol. I vaguely remember that we went there to place an order. I guess before the mobile phone and email age, one had to physically go there to make sure orders were placed properly. I recall watching Tatay Dionesio’s family tending to a large cauldron which I was told was where the binagol was cooking. Other than that cauldron and the image of melted margarine being added to a mix, I remember little else about the process. But of course, I could not forget the sweet, delectable binagol. Back then, binagol was a special treat served only when my family was entertaining.

To that eight-year-old me, it was a long, grueling jeepney ride going to Dagami and back. Today I was again in Dagami, and this time the ride took less than an hour. The 8 Magazine Team and I were here on invitation to check out how binagol, that signature Waray delicacy, is made.

The gracious couple Marjorie and Terry Ortega welcomed us to their binagol kitchen. Terry joked that, more accurately, it’s a SMB kitchen – that is, a sagmani, moron and binagol kitchen.

Right outside the working area, I saw talyan for the first time. All lined straight up against the wall, they looked like oversized gaway (gabi or taro). We were told to go easy on touching it as its sap can make one itch really bad. Anyone wanting to work in their kitchen had to have tolerance for the itching that talyan causes – they’ve actually had workers who quit just because of the itching! So yeah, I can’t tell you what talyan feels like to the touch, I was simply given more than enough warning.

Inside, I saw the spacious kitchen all organized with areas designated to graters, large saucepans over crackling fires, working tables and a large counter of ingredients. Mano Onil, a veteran binagol maker, was standing by a tub full of grated talyan. He was ready to show us how the sweet treat was made.

Grated talyan, coconut milk, and sugar are all mixed together for the pudding. Special syrup is poured into coconut shells then topped with the pudding mix. The filled shells are then wrapped in pakol banana leaves. The leaves are secured around the shells with straw tied expertly by another worker.

Another requirement for a binagol kitchen worker was a complete set of front teeth. The process of properly tying the string around the filled shells needs more than two hands – a worker needs to “hold” a part of the string tightly with clenched incisors.

Trivia: Binagol is packed with pakol leaves, which is thinner than the leaves of other banana species. Its thinness makes it more flexible and thus makes the packaging more secure as the leaves cling much easier and does not break the way thicker leaves would.

The filled, packed shells are then arranged in a large cauldron filled with water. Because talyan sap causes extreme itching, binagol is cooked for a good eight hours – any less and you get, well, makatol nga binagol (itchy binagol)!

Terry’s kitchen produces tens of dozens of binagol daily. These are sold primarily in Tacloban as Terry’s Deli, and on a stall outside their house. Bus travelers en route to Manila would drop by Terry’s to get their pasalubong fresh right from Dagami. Stored properly, binagol lasts a good seven days; refrigerated, it lasts even longer. Terry’s Deli also accommodates pasalubong orders for Filipinos to take abroad. Binagol is packed specially in foil, frozen and then packed in a styro bucket – a package guaranteed to last the journey.

The Ortega couple started Terry’s Deli in the early 2000s. Terry recalls, “When Marjorie’s father decided to retire, he asked if we wanted to continue the business, and we gladly obliged.” Back in the day, before binagol was commercially produced, it was prepared and served only during fiestas in Dagami. Because of its popularity though, binagol kitchens sprung around town to meet the demand for the delicacy. Interestingly, good quality talyan are grown in and transported from Palapag, Northern Samar. How a local delicacy needs a main ingredient that has to be procured from another island several hours away, they could not really tell me, but I reckon that was why it was originally fiesta fare – a special treat that required one to jump hoops to produce and enjoy.

After seeing the last of the freshly packed binagol being put into the cauldron, Terry and Marjorie ushered us into their home. On their dining table awaited a hearty lunch of native dishes, and of course, a plate of the special binagol for dessert.

When we were done with lunch, the couple showed us Joel Concepcion’s 100 Inspiring Stories of Small Entrepreneurs. They were featured in the book and they had a photocopy of the feature ready for our reference. We were amazed at what great hosts the couple were, and this little act of foresight and initiative surprised me pleasantly as I tucked the piece of paper away in my bag for later reading. We bid our goodbyes and went around Dagami a bit more before heading back to Tacloban.

 It was an amazing, motivating story that must make binagol taste even sweeter to Terry and Marjorie.

Wet Skin was hosted by Crazy D and G Alano.

Check out the photos below…

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

1st Annual Wet Skin Pool Party

So, just recently, I went on a trip with avid birdwatchers – a mix that included a diplomat and foreigners who came all the way to Leyte with the mission of adding our endemic birds to their list. Interestingly, Carigara was on their itinerary. Little did I know that a birdwatching trip would lead me to truly experience food in Carigara. How, you ask?

We went to Carigara for what they call the “bird house”, which is actually an inhabited living room with nests of glossy swiftlets on the ceiling! These swiftlets have been coming “home” to this living room at 6 pm everyday – for about 30 years now. They are welcomed to the house, and in return they give the homeowners the edible nests that they supply to Chinese restaurants in Cebu. It was an interesting sight indeed – the Dutch diplomat we were with said that house had to be the most unique experience he had on the trip. But I was not as interested in the swiflets as I was with what was 2 rooms away. The “bird house” is the residence of Filomena “Lumen” Enero, a well-known pastillas maker in Carigara.

We only had a bit of time to see the swiftlets because we had to hurry to Palompon. Before going out I could not resist a peek into mana Lumen’s kitchen. And I just knew I had to go back – there was Waray-waray food culture happening right there!

So the next weekend, I came knocking at the now-familiar house on San Roque St., Carigara. Mana Lumen was not home, but her staff were already busy wrapping pili candy. Mana Lumen’s staff were welcoming, nice and chatty and they started to tell me about what they were doing. The table was laden with sticks of the sweet, nutty goodies that they were wrapping away in strips of thin orange plastic film. It was a small batch, made to order, and I was given a tiny strip to try. It was heavenly!

Pili is a local nut that yields in the summer months – around April to June – and Mana Lumen buys sacks of them to dry and store. These nuts last for up to 6 months with good storage. They are boiled and ground, then mixed with eggs, milk and sugar to make into these soft, sweet and deliciously nutty treats. I felt sorry I didn’t know about pill candy until that day!

Much as what was happening on the table was a wonderment – I was really drawn to what was boiling in a large saucepan over a crackling fire. There it was – a delicacy that has given me so much joy since childhood – pastillas!

Pastillas is a yummy strip of soft, very light brown candy that is made with carabao’s milk. The milk is supplied by local farmers in Carigara. Gallons from different suppliers arrive fresh each morning at mana Lumen’s kitchen. The fresh milk is poured into large saucepans and mixed with some sugar and boiled for hours until the desired consistency is achieved. There is no fixed cooking time – it’s variable per batch depending on the volume of the milk and the strength of the fire – which is also variable on the kind of firewood, etc. The list of variables go on but the quality of the pastillas is consistent – the science of experience. They cook the milk to a semi-solid consistency; then the mixture is cooled before it is rolled in the middle of a wooden mold. When the mixture has become a flat slab, it is cut into strips for wrapping in white japanese paper.

Mana Lumen’s husband told me that they’ve been in the business for give or take 30 years. Business has been good, though they have been unable to keep up with the influx of orders due largely to the shortage of milk supply in Carigara. As a result, they only cook as needed, that is when there are orders, and their regular customers know that they need to give the Eneros ample lead time.

The pastillas and pill candy batches that day were made for a specific order but I begged for them to let me buy whatever little excess there was. I hopped away with 25 pieces of pill candy and 50 pieces of pastillas – the best of their kind in Carigara – I was a happy camper!

Mana Lumen also bakes cookies and roscas, but as she was not home, I had to ask her staff to refer me to the other kitchens in Carigara. They pointed me to the Hidalgos a few blocks away.

It took a bit of asking before I found the inconspicuous kitchen of Corazon Hidalgo. I had to hide my excitement at what I saw lest they think I was some weird lady with a camera. Like a kid, I took in the sight of trays and trays of beautiful piped batter, laid out on thin cookie sheets, waiting to be baked in the large concrete oven. A row of baking pans were filled with cassava batter and I could see the bits of cheese that would melt right into that mouth-watering local cake.

Mana Corazon showed me all the different pastries they made – cornstarch cookies, butter cookies, pili tarts, cassava cake, and torta. She had about 15 helpers in the big kitchen at the time and they were all busy doing their own step in the making of the crunchy cookies that have now become a signature Carigara delicacy. She further said that there are many similar home kitchens in Carigara who all do their own baking and supplying to stores all over the region. Mana Corazon was not making roscas that day though. Roscas is my favorite of all the Carigara baked goodies – so she pointed me to the adjacent kitchen of mano Dadz Unggi.

Sure enough, I was to find roscas – before during and after the baking of it – in mano Dadz’ kitchen right next door. The Unggi kitchen is unique for it does not produce the goodies in the traditional way of business. If the two kitchens I had been to would buy their own supply, produce the delicacies and then later market them, mano Dadz’ customers would give him their ingredients and let him and his staff do the cooking. Mano Dadz would just charge for the labor and pretty much, the use of his brick oven. The oven is fueled by firewood and was custom-built to manna Dadz’ specifications. If mana Lumen’s problem was a shortage of milk, mano Dadz’ was firewood. He said that most of the other kitchens use LPG ovens, but firewood imparts a flavor to what is baked in his brick oven. That was a eureka moment for me when he said that – my family bakes a lot, but for some reason the cookies from Carigara just have something to them that has me hooked!

I had always been curious about how the roscas comes to be shaped as it is, well that was the day I saw how it was done! I saw roscas being made from a mass of dough, the shaped ones waiting to be baked, a batch baking in the oven, a batch cooling on a rack and finally, a cooled batch as they were cut into the roscas as we see them at the stalls and shops. It was really cool, much like watching that TV show where they show you how stuffs are made.

Since mano Dadz wasn’t selling anything, I could not take any roscas with me from his kitchen. So I thanked him and asked for directions to the restaurant in Carigara that a friend has been raving about – RAQ Farm.

RAQ Farm Food Garden supposedly serves the most delectable catfish around here. Located right in Carigara’s commercial area, it is the biggest restaurant cum grocery in the area. I got in and saw about four tables of late-lunchers in what was a wide hall of charming wooden tables, with greens all around, and a few gazebos for diners who wanted a little more privacy and ambience. It is a nice place and I liked it immediately.

I proceeded to the counter and asked for their hito – or pantak – as was written on their menu. The guy in the counter told me it would take an hour! I was surprised and a little disappointed, wondering how on earth it would take an hour to prepare catfish. So I jokingly asked, “One hour? Why, do you still have to catch it?” I almost fell over with laughter when the guy said, “Yes, we need to catch it and clean it; and if you want it fast – we grill it – it’s the quickest way.”

I was in a hurry but ah well, I thought, I was already there, what was another hour? So I said, yes, I’ll have one. Then I followed the staff around and bugged them about where the pantak was and if they would let me watch them catch it. Turned out I didn’t have to beg – they had it all set up so I could actually see it getting caught. There were a bunch of pantak in shallow water right below one of the gazebos. One guy got a big green net and started to go for the pantak. The fishes thrashed about as they sensed what was happening. In a matter of minutes, I was saying hello to lunch! They caught three big catfish – I realized they thought I wanted one KILO, not one piece! They went off before I could say anything, and I was left to while away an hour while they cooked my pantak. The wait turned out to be well worth it, sure enough, three grilled catfishes were on an oval plate, ready for my famished stomach (it was 3pm by then). And as my friend had sworn, the fishes were to-die-for! I’m not exaggerating, I absolutely recommend dropping by RAQ Farm if for these fishes alone. Although the grilled pork was also pretty good. They also seemed to be rather proud of their native chicken – maybe that’s the rationale behind their logo!

Their staff were really friendly and accommodating and really patient with me and my endless babbling – I also found it cool that they tried to get me my chillies, though with not much success. I guess that would be my only suggestion for the place – chili peppers! Otherwise it was a really awesome lunch and I would definitely go back.

So, two packs of the best Carigara candy and a full tummy later, I was ready for home. It was an experience that left me wanting more of these little local food trips. Where to next?

- – - -
Carigara is 45 minutes away from Tacloban via public utility vans en route to Ormoc.

KABATAAN SA BISAYAS MEDIA FESTIVAL Schedule

20 May 2011
Morning
9 AM : Prix Jeunesse Suitcase for Kids
(UP Tacloban Conference Hall)

Afternoon
3 PM : Casual inauguration of Photo Exhibit
Movie World, Robinson’s Place, Tacloban
4 PM: Usap Tayo with Boy Abunda
LNU Gymnasium
6:30PM: Welcome Reception hosted by Governor Icot Petilla
Capitol Building, Leyte
Announcement of Kids’ Choice Awardees

21 May 2011
Morning
9:00 AM Screenings and Meet the Directors
11 AM Wrap up and Media one-on-ones with youth directors

Afternoon
12 to 3 PM Working Lunch for Celebrity Jurors
Screening and Judging of Entries
1:00 PM Screenings and Meet the Directors
3:00 PM Wrap up and Media one-on-ones with youth directors
4:00 PM Celebrities, Youth & Media Interface
5:00 PM Media one-on-ones with celebrities prior to departure for Manila

22 May 2011
Afternoon
1:00 PM KBMF Closing and Awards Rites
Activity Center, Robinsons Place Tacloban
3:00 PM Distribution of certificates and giveaways to youth participants
Hosted by: Kim Atienza, Ricky Davao, Cheryl Cosim, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Bobby Andrews

Media one-on-ones with winners