Aired (June 9, 2024): Join Biyahero Drew as he explores and showcases the stunning beauty and vibrant culture of Benguet.
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00:00The weather here in Lima is so hot that they have prepared food for the tourists.
00:27And they are experiencing their old culture, which is like a part of their family.
00:37We will visit the province where the rich culture and tradition has been preserved until now.
00:44Be my guest in Binguet.
00:50Here in Binguet, it is said that it is normal to shareon or wrap food.
00:56If you are able to eat for free, you still have a take-out.
00:59Oh, where are you?
01:03Actually, if you hear a pig crying, it is a sign that there is a free...
01:08PAPIGING!
01:09But before we get in, there are ceremonies that need to be done by the visitors like us.
01:16Part of the ceremonies is the worship.
01:23And dancing.
01:25Oh, if it is just dancing, will we be caught?
01:31And one of the oldest idols in the area, the 91-year-old Mother Theodora, is part of the celebration.
01:40That book, we call that in our dialect, that book.
01:44So they just don't pray for the people?
01:48They are asking the Lord to bless them with a successful blessing.
01:57If they go to business, then their business will be blessed.
02:02If they have animals, then their animals will grow.
02:07After the dance, there is a rice wine that is being circulated for everyone to drink.
02:13That's the rice wine.
02:15Rice wine, which makes people dance more.
02:19The ceremonies are over.
02:21Let's go to the exciting part, the celebration of the day, the pork that they call Wat Wat.
02:29Wat Wat has a lot to do with Thanksgiving.
02:37There is a death, or there is a wedding, or there is an alliance with the ancestors.
02:43To complete the ritual of Thanksgiving, the pig needs to be weaned or weaned.
02:50The idea of the Igorot mythology is to call the gods and other spirits.
02:59That is what we will wean the pig.
03:01So the weaning, the death, is sacred.
03:05Because that is what our ancestors did.
03:08But it is not just the pig that is used here.
03:11It should be the native.
03:13It is the black pig that is used.
03:15Because in the past, our ancestors raised black pigs.
03:21So now, we still continue to raise black pigs.
03:25And that is what we use for our ceremonies.
03:29After weaning and weaning the pig,
03:32the pig's liver is considered as the leader of the ritual.
03:38The liver of the pig should be good for its cooking.
03:42And because it passed the quality check, it continues to be mixed.
03:46You can choose what you want to taste.
03:49Okay. What do you want to taste?
03:53What is your suggestion?
03:55If you want to eat like that, okay.
04:01Okay.
04:03What do you want to eat?
04:06Oh, my God.
04:08Porote.
04:10Okay.
04:12I think that is enough.
04:14Now, it is your turn, Wot-Wot.
04:24The Wot-Wot, whether raw or cooked,
04:27is distributed to the neighbors and everyone who attends the celebration.
04:31The culture of Igorot is about sharing and helping each other.
04:36In the past, it was hard to get meat.
04:39Sometimes, in a year, you can catch a pig.
04:43So, when they have ceremonies,
04:46the pigs are divided so that everyone can taste it.
04:50And if it is not prepared, no problem.
04:54Because not only the people present at the celebration can taste the Wot-Wot,
04:57but also their families who are left at home.
05:01The visitors are also provided with food for take-out.
05:06So, this is really called Wot-Wot.
05:08Wot-Wot.
05:10And apparently, most of the meat is actually half-cooked.
05:13So that if you are not able to finish this gathering,
05:16you can take it home and share it with your family members.
05:20In terms of serving size, this celebration is quite large.
05:24So, there are a lot.
05:26So, it looks like a lot of leftovers will be taken home.
05:32And if the meat from Wot-Wot is still not enough,
05:35it can also be used as Kini-ing and Itag,
05:38or the smoked meat that Igorot makes to make the meat last longer.
05:43In the market, it is called Kissing Cloud,
05:45where two candles kiss each other.
05:49You can also buy Kini-ing and Itag.
05:51Evelyn has been selling this for almost 25 years.
05:55Sir, this is our product here in Binguet, in Cordillera.
06:00How much is it, ma'am?
06:02P3.50.
06:04What is the difference?
06:07This is smoked.
06:09This has salt.
06:12Aside from meat, there are also a lot of vegetables in Binguet,
06:16so it cannot be left out for Chapsuy.
06:19One Chapsuy set is only P100.
06:22It's already complete.
06:25Maybe this style, I'm very curious how you do it.
06:29Can you teach me?
06:31We can teach you, sir, inside.
06:33This is the plastic.
06:35Can I sit?
06:37Then, hold this.
06:39Do you also have a chair?
06:42Sir, what?
06:44This is it, sir.
06:45This is it, sir.
06:48Ah, so you need to have a paper.
06:51This is the repolio.
06:53Repolio first.
06:55Why repolio first?
06:57So I can put it in.
06:59It's hard if it's not...
07:01Yes, sir, especially if it's big.
07:03So you need to put the repolio first.
07:05Then this.
07:07Then here, next to it.
07:12It's also hard.
07:13Because if you try to put it without...
07:16It's hard.
07:18If you try to put it hard, it's a bit...
07:22Yes, it's a bit...
07:24You need to tie it here, sir.
07:29You can put it now.
07:31You just need to put the paper.
07:34Okay, I'll put it like this, sir.
07:36That's good, sir.
07:43I think it's different, sir.
07:45What?
07:47I think it's different.
07:49It's different?
07:51Look, it's not hard.
07:53It's like this.
07:55It should be hard.
07:57It has a stick.
07:59Ah, yes.
08:01It should be standing properly.
08:03It's just like practice, sir.
08:05It's not perfect.
08:07It looks like I'm not going to pass my first assistant, Evelyn.
08:10One more.
08:12There.
08:14It's perfect, sir.
08:16It won't fall off.
08:18There.
08:20Right, sir?
08:22It's done, sir.
08:26It's perfect, sir.
08:28Thank you.
08:30If I can do the chop suey set,
08:32will I be able to do the next challenge?
08:35It looks like I'm going to be challenged.
08:37I'm nervous.
08:38I'm nervous.
08:40I was like, why is he carrying a weapon?
08:43What is that?
08:45These are for our axe throwing.
08:47Axe throwing.
08:49And these are for our knife throwing events.
08:51Alright.
08:53Why is there knife throwing and axe throwing in your area?
08:57What we're doing is so that the youngsters will gradually get used to it.
09:01What we're doing is just a little game.
09:03So that it's not too serious.
09:04Here in Avongnen Romi, which is a camping and adventure park,
09:08they brought to life the passionate hearts of the Igorot.
09:11Because we're going to fight.
09:13And with passion and heart,
09:15Rafael will teach us an Igorot,
09:17and the owner of the place of true love,
09:19Mala Warrior.
09:21It still depends on your distance.
09:23Some people will hold it.
09:25So, at times, you walk.
09:27You will also turn around to hold it.
09:29Because if you do it this way, in front of this,
09:31what will happen is you will handle it.
09:33To change the direction a little bit,
09:36or to move on,
09:38what we're going to use is a flip.
09:40So that...
09:42Here.
09:44Oh, no, no.
09:46This is what's important when it comes to knives and axes.
09:48Imagine that you're holding a rope.
09:50You'll just pull it.
09:52You'll pull it.
09:54Yes, and then you release it.
09:56And let go.
09:58Yes.
09:59I'm sorry.
10:01I'm sorry.
10:03I'm nervous.
10:05I might be different.
10:07Let's focus, guys.
10:09Focus.
10:11There.
10:13It happened again.
10:15My problem with basketball flipped again.
10:17I'm too good at it.
10:19Will I give up if I can't do this?
10:21Of course, fight.
10:26There.
10:27This is what we're talking about.
10:29Yes.
10:35The next thing you need to learn
10:37is how to swing.
10:45John Ray is an expert in this.
10:47He's only been here for 4 years.
10:49He's already practiced.
10:51Because wherever I swing,
10:53I know how to swing.
10:55So, wait.
10:57I thought you did this
10:59so that when you go somewhere
11:02and you want to swing,
11:04you can just do this.
11:06But how did you start?
11:09Or in your language,
11:11it's called kamashang?
11:13Kamashang.
11:15Because back then,
11:17we didn't have cellphones.
11:19The kids didn't play.
11:21This is the banding
11:23of the kids' friends.
11:25Like in the pool,
11:27but they said
11:29it's mostly for the kids.
11:31Yes.
11:33Because they already have
11:35their own style.
11:37Before we dive
11:39into the banding,
11:41let's learn the basics first.
11:43I tried this a few years ago.
11:45I forgot how to do it.
11:47I walked.
11:49Probably just a few steps.
11:51But like you said earlier,
11:53you asked me
11:55where I put my feet.
11:57So, what's the right way?
11:59Here, there's no right way.
12:01Everything is right.
12:03If you step on one foot,
12:05then the next one,
12:07of course, you'll fall.
12:09So, you have to step on the other foot.
12:11If you step on the other foot,
12:13you'll fall.
12:15So, you have to step on the dominant foot.
12:17The dominant foot.
12:19And then, the next one is the left.
12:21Okay.
12:23And then, when you're balanced,
12:25you just have to step.
12:27There.
12:29Oh, you're already falling.
12:31Both feet and hands.
12:33Yes.
12:35Oh, I'm shaking.
12:37And then, just avoid
12:39separating your feet.
12:41So, you can maintain your balance.
12:43Because if you do it like that,
12:45it's harder to balance.
12:48We can already see his hiccups.
12:51Okay, let's try this.
12:53Oh, my goodness.
12:55It looks easy.
12:57But it's because of the strength of both hands and feet.
13:00Oh, okay.
13:08But it's harder, right?
13:10This is harder, Bards.
13:12Yes, especially on the back.
13:20Challenging.
13:22And sometimes, in the game,
13:24you can't avoid getting hurt.
13:25There.
13:30Thank you, thank you, thank you.
13:32One more, one more, one more.
13:38There.
13:39It's like physical therapy.
13:42You can't immediately get the right technique
13:45when balancing.
13:47You need a strong foot.
13:49That's why, for someone like me,
13:51more practice.
13:53Show us, bro.
13:54One by one.
14:06One more.
14:11Meanwhile, in this vast land,
14:13in the Latrinidad,
14:15there's a lot to see.
14:17There are 24 different kinds of gardens
14:19that are popular in different countries.
14:22So, from their travels,
14:24they copied the landscapes
14:26so that our Filipino visitors
14:28can see these designs.
14:31It is here in Benguet
14:33where we celebrate Panogbengo
14:36or what we also call Flower Festival.
14:38So, here, flower farm owners,
14:41they produce flowers
14:43and they donate it for celebrations
14:46like Flower Festival.
14:47Aside from Panogbenga Festival
14:49where Benguet is known,
14:51it is also a part of the colorful culture of Igrot
14:54where they wear tapis and bahag
14:56as a traditional attire.
14:58That's why the founder of Benguet, Alma,
15:00was inspired by these attires
15:02for the design of her sushi.
15:07They have Striped Benguet Sushi Maki
15:12and Penged Crazy Mix Sushi Maki
15:15which is called in the barangay
15:17where Alma lives.
15:19The ingredients they use
15:21are also from Tacordilere,
15:23from fruits and vegetables from Tuba, Benguet,
15:25and even from balatina or rice
15:27that came from Mountain Province
15:29before they thought of making Benguet Sushi.
15:31Alma is one of the OFWs in Lebanon
15:33that was sent home because of the crisis in 2022.
15:36Because that's our tradition
15:38to wear Ibaluy clothes,
15:40especially I'm Ibaluy,
15:41that's why I thought of making Striped Sushi.
15:48Their Benguet Sushi is a local beast
15:51that also meets the demand.
15:53Every pig season,
15:55only 4,000 pieces are made
15:57and they are sold out.
16:03But this food has a special recipe.
16:06The familiar Pinikpikan
16:08that is usually eaten with rice
16:09is also served with noodles.
16:12Rice noodles,
16:14the Pinikpikan meat,
16:16you'll add etag flakes,
16:19and of course,
16:21green onions.
16:23This is the Pinikpikan broth.
16:25Ah, Pinikpikan broth.
16:27It's pretty much the star of the show.
16:29If you're a traveler, you want it light.
16:31Light and fast.
16:33Fast and hot.
16:35The new version of Pinikpikan with noodles
16:37is still part of the traditional flavor.
16:45I think it's weird
16:49that we haven't thought of this before.
16:51Right? Because the broth is just...
16:53Yes.
16:55That's the magic of the broth.
16:58Because according to some research,
17:00the Pinikpikan is made
17:02by the Igorots before
17:05when they have a hangover.
17:07For the Igorots,
17:09the Pinikpikan is an essential part of their diet.
17:13We know that there's no doubt
17:15that Pinikpikan is a part of our culture,
17:17our Ipis,
17:19our Latrinidad.
17:21They do this as a thank you
17:23and a request to be a part of their culture
17:26even back then.
17:29Because of the climate,
17:31there are many varieties of plants.
17:33Shonny is only 21 years old
17:36when he became the instant CEO of a mushroom farm.
17:39Thank you to the Igorots
17:41that suddenly came to their backyard.
17:44We started with 2,000 pesos of capital
17:47and what we did is
17:49we just used what we had.
17:51Who would have thought
17:53that since the Igorots came to their backyard,
17:55they now have their own Igorot farm,
17:58learning site, and laboratory.
17:59Our mushrooms have a Valentine's Day theme.
18:04They're pink.
18:06The colors of our oyster mushrooms
18:08are natural.
18:10So what happened is
18:12I met a friend from another country
18:14and he introduced the colored oyster mushroom.
18:17So I noticed here in Bingit
18:20that no one has tried it yet.
18:22So I said, what if?
18:24Let's try it.
18:26The colorful Igorots
18:27are a star ingredient
18:29in Shonny's farm dishes.
18:32It's good.
18:35It goes well with anything fried.
18:38Fried fish, fried chicken,
18:40fried rice.
18:43It's delicious.
18:45For this dish,
18:47it's a soupy dish.
18:54It's the same.
18:56You guys are driving me crazy.
19:01This is an egg.
19:06I guess the smell and taste is not from the mushroom.
19:09But the advantage of the mushroom
19:12is that it's high in protein.
19:14And you can combine it with
19:16whatever dish you want to eat.
19:26Heaven for plantitos and plantitas
19:28is the province of Bingit
19:30because of the beautiful and unique plants
19:32that grow here.
19:34In all of the cities,
19:36there is an hectare of land
19:38where more than 2,000 kinds of plants
19:40can be bought.
19:42But their specialty is
19:44cactus.
19:46But did you know that
19:48you can eat raw cactus?
19:50Wow!
19:52So how do you eat it?
19:53You can eat it raw.
19:55Okay.
19:57Just remove the small stem.
19:59Okay.
20:01Then slice it off like this.
20:04Wait, it's a bit slimy.
20:06It's like okra.
20:10It has a guava taste.
20:13It's a bit sour.
20:15It's crunchy
20:17and
20:19it's like guava.
20:23If you can't eat raw cactus,
20:25don't worry.
20:27They also have cooked food
20:29that is mixed with cactus.
20:31Cactus cheese pizza.
20:37The cheese is still rising
20:39which as a pizza lover,
20:41that's what you're looking for, right?
20:44When you add the cactus,
20:47it's like you're eating bell pepper,
20:49I guess,
20:51because it adds texture and crunch.
20:53It's like okra slime.
20:55It's a bit like that
20:57which I appreciate.
21:00What I gotta say,
21:02if you didn't tell me
21:04that there's cactus here,
21:06I wouldn't know.
21:08It is banana bread.
21:10But I feel like
21:12you're fooling your kids
21:14that I can't eat vegetables.
21:16You're so old.
21:18You can eat anything,
21:20even water.
21:21Same goes with this dessert.
21:23Hey,
21:25if cactus has health benefits,
21:27why not infuse it with
21:29the sweet stuff
21:31or the favorite food
21:33that your kid would like to eat
21:35or eats.
21:39Cactus is rich in magnesium
21:41and other vitamins.
21:43It's also good for our digestive tract.
21:45They discovered that
21:47it can be eaten
21:49during the Spanish period.
21:52In spite of its beauty,
21:54it has a sour taste.
21:57But I'm willing to choose
21:59your ugly appearance
22:01and color.
22:04It looks like a snake.
22:06It looks like a corona.
22:08It also has a distinct color.
22:10It looks sour.
22:12It's also sour
22:14in substance and taste.
22:16Ouch!
22:18Can you imagine
22:20that this tunnel
22:22in Tuba, Benguet
22:24took 3 days and 2 nights
22:26to pass through?
22:28Is it really that long?
22:30For a long time,
22:32many stories
22:34were told in these tunnels.
22:36The white ladies
22:38who pass through here
22:40and their cars
22:42get hurt.
22:44Sometimes,
22:46they get scared
22:47and run away.
22:49This tunnel was built
22:51by prisoners of war
22:53in the 19th century
22:55to be a way for trains
22:57to pass through La Union and Baguio.
22:59But unfortunately,
23:01this is not the end.
23:03There are stories
23:05that say that
23:07even a small crack
23:09can end the killer quake
23:11of July 16, 1990.
23:13Is there a truth
23:15behind these stories?
23:17Is there a way
23:19to get out of this tunnel?
23:21These stories
23:23are just stories
23:25of tourists
23:27who visit this tunnel.
23:29It was called
23:31train drive free night.
23:33At first,
23:35it was day time.
23:37Then,
23:39it was night time.
23:41Then,
23:43it was day time again.
23:45Then,
23:47it was morning time
23:49in these two tunnels.
23:51If this was just a day drive,
23:53it would take 15 minutes
23:55from Bocana
23:57to the end of the tunnel.
24:03At a time when
24:05everything needs to be fast.
24:07Here in Benguet,
24:09there is a way to keep up
24:11with the times.
24:13While continuing
24:15the traditions
24:17of this tunnel.