By Roel T. Amazona
TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 19 (PNA) — The An Waray Party-list will spearhead once again the Oktubafest, an event that highlights tuba, a popular traditional coconut wine in the Visayan region.
This will be on October 29 at the inner court of the Eastern Visayas State University in this city.
Oktubafest is a marketing strategy of An Waray in helping promote tuba and other coconut by-products.
Coconut is a leading farm product in Eastern Visayas, the third largest coconut producing area in the country.
Although, coconut industry is the most affected by super typhoon Yolanda damaging more than 13 million coconut trees in the region, the party-list group hopes that through this effort they could support the product’s recovery.
The 6th Oktubafest will be participated in by local government units, academe and restaurant owners.
This year’s theme is “Tuba wine: the soul of Waray culture, the heart of Waray celebrations.” The term Waray refers to an ethno-liguistic group of people geographically inhabiting Eastern Visayas region.
There will be a competition for best bahal and best bahalina (distilled) for local government units (LGUs). Another contest is the search for the best bahal concoction and tuba infused dish for LGU, colleges, bars and restaurant in region.
Tuba processing is an industry that Eastern Visayas could claim as its own. It could help towards harnessing the vital component of Eastern Visayas culinary and cultural heritage and its economic wealth. (PNA)