TOURISM INDEPENDENCE

          It was a sunny Sunday when I decided to take a grab car to the north terminal and ride on a bus to the ‘Cradle of Negros Civilization’. It was my first time to take a bus to Silay City  and pay Php 23.00 for an  air-conditioned ride. I went down by the 1925 San Diego Pro Cathedral and called on the ‘tri-sikad’ to Balay Negrense, the museum is one of the 29 heritage houses in the city which made it to the top 25 tourist destinations in the Philippines in the late 1990’s.

          This was no ordinary day at the lifestyle museum, there were white canopies at the garden and many people came for the 6^th Kaon Ta food festival. About 42 booths participated by the food  providers of Silay. They were themed according to  Heritage with the participation of Emma Lacson, Nieves Kitchen, German Unson Heritage House, El Ideal, Mariel’s and The Mansion, they also had a variety of  Seafood  and Inasal by Chicken House, Seaside Floating Resto, Edgewater, Tama Plaza, Antonia’s Gril, and Clawe Foods, the Postre for the sweet tooth is one that lures the visitor to come like Café Velo, Tita Isa’s, Ann Co Cakes, Denny’s Pastillas and 

Negrense classics like Emma Lacson’s famous empanada, senorita, panopano,  lumpia ubod, angel cake and the pili squares. 

I remember years back on my birthday when Senator Gordon came to visit Cadiz and nearby towns, he sent me a box of pili squares as a gift. Tita Isa’s dulce gatas is a must buy, Nieves Kitchen with Panara and Guava Jelly and Chorizo, SONAFAPA, El Ideal, Arabella Native Delicacies, Mariels, and Sinda Belleza Lumpia. They also had Pamahaw for pasta, sandwiches and fries with the participation of  Thirdy’s Café, Makitos, Mon’s Little Cottage, DesTEAny and Chescafe, Cafee Jose, Café 1925, and Pinoy kag Iban Pa like Tita Beths Pancit Malabon Haus, Nancios, Sir and Maam Restaurant, Melca’s snacks, Punong Gary’s and Tito Chucks and Makito’s,  

even Hda. Rosalia of Manapla participated with Monsignor Gigi’s Adobong  Milyonario. To complete the tour we were able to purchase coloring books featuring the heritage houses in Silay matched with a brochure to be able to check its location, other  souvenirs  were sold by Tindahan ni Maria, the ANP and Lutak, which showed the artistry of Silaynon’s. 

The Kabataang Silay Rondalla also entertained guests, there was a huge Kaon Ta! mural for kids and adults to color.  Mayor Mark Andrew Golez was visible all over the place taking care of visitors. Dr. Jose Francisco Benitez, Congressman elect of the third district also came with Mayor Marvin Malacon, Melvin Matulac and Councilors of E B Magalona to support the food festival. There were prizes, Fun and surprises with Virna Tan receiving a bunch of Ibus after joining the question and answer game. The food festival is an annual event in celebration of Silay City’s Fiesta.

         Independence was the key to freedom from Spanish, American and Japanese colonizers then. Today, we see this as freedom to move around and travel, freedom to tell our history to visitors, with such freedom we congratulate the new tour guides of Negros Occidental , 

today we have about 33 tour guides to share our triumph and our pride of place and love of country, the AGENTS for change and AGENTS for a better tourism industry.

          Sipalay City Tourism Officer Jerick Lacson is now an Environmental Planner, the first Tourism Officer in Negros Island to become one,  he recently passed the board with fellow Sillimanian El Nido Palawan’s Administrator RJ dela Calzada and Tourism Planning Consultant  Chen Mencias. Environmental Planning is important in Tourism , Land Use and the Development of an LGU  in physical, economic, and social planning  the, administration and implementation of laws for Tourism Sustainability. Congratulations!