Aired (September 7, 2023): Join OG Biyahero Drew and special guest Thea Tolentino as they explore the vibrant charm of Ilocos Norte!
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00:00I have no objection because this trip will be visited by the locals of Norte.
00:07We will experience what they are used to doing.
00:11What do you call it when you help each other?
00:15That's what we call it here in Ilocano, Daclis.
00:20Daclis?
00:21Correct.
00:22We will also taste their favorite foods.
00:26The Ilocanos are food lovers.
00:30When we were young, we were attracted to foods like this.
00:34Like Charon Bulaklak, Pagnet, Lechon.
00:38And if there's a star, of course, there should be a contrary star.
00:42Joining us on this trip is a passionate artist and one of the first contrary stars of her generation,
00:48Thea Tolentino.
00:50Didn't I tell you that I will accompany you on your travels?
00:54I don't know.
00:57Didn't I tell you that I will accompany you on your travels?
01:20Didn't I tell you that I will accompany you on your travels?
01:23I don't know.
01:26Didn't I tell you that I will accompany you on your travels?
01:31We asked Rufa to go first.
01:35You're the one who's following.
01:37We asked Pichi to go first.
01:39Last week.
01:40Now, you're really coming along.
01:41No, it's hard for me to talk to you.
01:43So, here it is.
01:45I brought you a towel.
01:47Here.
01:48Then, there.
01:51Your make-up is also here.
01:53It's here.
01:54Are all my requests there?
01:55It's here.
01:56That's good.
01:58Here it is.
01:59Is the hotel okay?
02:00Yes.
02:01It's air-conditioned.
02:02Okay.
02:03Here it is.
02:05Wait, wait, wait.
02:10Okay.
02:14Acting Lumberos.
02:15Thea is just in character.
02:17Out of all the roles that Thea has played,
02:20she is known as a television villain
02:22and one of the first villains of her generation.
02:26I'm going to have an abortion.
02:27Mom, why don't you know your own child?
02:30I'm being sued.
02:31You're going to pay.
02:32You're going to pay.
02:35Thea seems to be very practiced.
02:37Will she be able to use the strength of her hands
02:39in the crazy things that we will do in Ilocos Norte?
02:44To feel more like a local,
02:46we're not just going to taste.
02:48We're going to make Ilocos' most popular product,
02:51Sukang Iloco.
02:52It's made from sugarcane,
02:54or tubo,
02:55that's abundant in Ilocos Norte.
03:01Is there a direction?
03:02Does it have to be slanted?
03:03Yes.
03:04That's the direction.
03:05She's in character.
03:06Yes.
03:07I'm going to think of the person I'm going to get mad at.
03:09Wow.
03:10Don't call me Kuya Marlon.
03:13This is so hard.
03:15That's good.
03:16Then we'll just put some sugar.
03:20That's good.
03:22That's good.
03:24The chopped tubo
03:25is not a waste
03:27because it's the dessert of the Calabayans.
03:29Next.
03:31We have tubo.
03:32We're going to give it its juice
03:34to make Sukang Iloco.
03:36The baksil people of Ilocos Norte
03:39have a traditional way of giving tubo.
03:41It's called dadapil.
03:44They use a machine
03:45that's called dadapilan.
03:48The gasoline used
03:49to run the dadapilan
03:51is called kalabaw.
03:53But before using the dadapilan,
03:55the locals believe
03:56that they need to give alay
03:58or atang
03:59to their ancestors
04:01to avoid getting dizzy while turning.
04:03The locals' technique
04:05is to cover one eye.
04:08Kuya Marlon, why do you need to cover your eyes?
04:10So that I won't get dizzy, sir.
04:13So that you won't get dizzy.
04:14Yes.
04:15So that I can turn.
04:16If you're going to turn
04:18counterclockwise,
04:19what eye should you cover?
04:21This one inside, sir.
04:22Ah, okay.
04:23So that you can see the outside.
04:25So that you can see the outside.
04:27If you cover your right eye,
04:30you won't see anything, sir.
04:31You won't see anything.
04:32You won't see anything.
04:33You won't see anything.
04:34Okay, okay.
04:36To make the kalabaw follow,
04:38there are lines that need to be followed.
04:40That's why he's an expert.
04:42When you go,
04:44what do you call it?
04:47Oh.
04:48Just once.
04:50Just three times.
04:51How about two times?
04:52Wait, do more.
04:53Three times.
04:54What?
04:55Oh.
04:56That's it.
04:57When you stop,
04:58ho.
04:59When you say stop,
05:01ho.
05:02It's like Santa Claus.
05:04Twice, ho.
05:06Ho, ho, ho.
05:07When you say stop, ho.
05:09When you say stop, ho.
05:12He might be surprised.
05:13That's why it's ho, ho, the kalabaw.
05:16Ho, ho, the kalabaw.
05:18Right?
05:20Anyway, let's go.
05:21I'm sorry.
05:22Okay.
05:23Ready.
05:24You do it.
05:25You're good at it.
05:26Why are you doing that?
05:27Wait, I can't do it.
05:29I'll do the sound effect.
05:30Can you hold this?
05:36It's a good thing I can walk.
05:38My cats can't.
05:43You're good.
05:44It's very natural.
05:46You're good.
05:52No.
05:53It's weak.
05:54Here, here.
06:02While the kalabaw is spinning,
06:04we can now add the tubo.
06:07There.
06:08Something's coming out, Teo.
06:10Not me, Bejeros.
06:19Smile.
06:20Ho.
06:21Smile to the camera.
06:23Nice.
06:26There.
06:27Sorry, I haven't worked out in a while.
06:29There.
06:31According to the Philippine Statistics Authority of 2022,
06:34more than half of the sugarcane production in Ilocos Region
06:37comes from Ilocos Norte.
06:41And one of the products of Ilocos Norte
06:43that comes from tubo
06:45is the Iloco vinegar.
06:48You've tried the vinegar, right?
06:49Yes.
06:51It's like vinegar.
06:56It's sour.
06:57It's vinegar.
06:58It's sour.
06:59It's good.
07:00It's like,
07:02you can taste the saltiness.
07:05There are some vinegars that you can taste the saltiness,
07:09for sure.
07:10And of course, if you mix it with chili,
07:13you can taste the spiciness.
07:15This is on the alcoholic side, right?
07:17Yes.
07:18Alcohol side.
07:19That's what I'm tasting.
07:20But some people prefer that kind of vinegar.
07:23It depends on, for example,
07:26longganisa.
07:27I like longganisa.
07:29It's delicious.
07:30That's what I can say,
07:31but is this alcoholic?
07:33Not yet?
07:34Not yet.
07:35Not yet.
07:36Because the base is different.
07:38The base is alcoholic.
07:43This one.
07:44It has a taste.
07:45It's like ricotta.
07:46The taste is like beer.
07:49It has a strong taste.
07:50It has a strong taste.
07:51It's like there's alcohol in it.
07:55This is also good.
07:56It's good for people like me.
08:01This is our IT.
08:02There's a hiking trail.
08:07I'll just check if it's okay.
08:10Okay. Let's go.
08:14I thought there's a mountain trail.
08:16It's just a mountain of jigsaw puzzles.
08:22What we're going to try is a mountain that's not tiring,
08:25but it's also filling.
08:27Bentahe is a foodie in Lawag City.
08:32Aside from local food,
08:33there's also Ilocano food.
08:35Want to try?
08:38Number one is the seafood fiesta buffet.
08:42There are different kinds of seafood.
08:45There are oysters,
08:46there are big fish.
08:49We also have steaks.
08:50We also have steaks,
08:51Ilocano dishes.
08:53I got recipes from my ancestors.
08:58From the famous Ilocos Bagnet,
09:00they also don't want to lose to the mountains of Chicharong Bulaklak.
09:04The Ilocanos are potok-batok lovers.
09:08When we were young,
09:09we were attracted to food like this,
09:12like Chicharong Bulaklak,
09:14Bagnet,
09:15Lechon,
09:16and Ilocano foods.
09:21Thanks to this business,
09:22the owner, Chef Maria,
09:24was able to build a house and a resort.
09:27One of the reasons why we don't lose money
09:29is that we get our ingredients here
09:33that we prepare in our buffet
09:35from local fishermen
09:37who come from our area.
09:39It's also a way for us to help them.
09:43Aside from helping local fishermen,
09:46they also have employees who work for PWD.
09:49We salute you, Chef.
09:56Here in the town of Badok,
09:57there is a different type of fishing.
09:59Their version is for catching fish.
10:05Raising the net
10:06is being done by more than 20 people.
10:10This is what they call,
10:11Pagdadaklis.
10:13Early in the morning,
10:14they drop the net.
10:17In Pagdadaklis,
10:18they are lucky to catch a lot of fish.
10:41In other localities,
10:42there are small and big ones.
10:44It's expected that a lot of people will come home
10:46to their families.
10:48In season now,
10:49the fish is called,
10:51Munamon or Dilis.
10:53This is what we call in Ilocos,
10:56Nayalay.
10:57Nayalay.
10:58What is this?
10:59Do you just grill it?
11:01What is that?
11:02It's called Sinisigang.
11:03Ah, that's it.
11:05That's different.
11:06That's different?
11:07We call that,
11:08Bagsiaw.
11:09But this is Munamon,
11:10when it's grown.
11:11When it grows, it becomes Munamon.
11:13So there,
11:14are you going to bring it back?
11:15No?
11:16No?
11:17It's already being grilled.
11:19The last fish,
11:20they divide it into several
11:22to help with the pulling.
11:24Since there are only a few caught,
11:25there are also only a few divided.
11:27The others help in Pagdadaklis,
11:29they also do the manding.
11:31That's like our box in 1986.
11:34Bikes.
11:35We did a picnic here
11:37so we can also see the Pagdadaklis.
11:40We can also see them.
11:42It's fun.
11:43It's fun.
11:44It's the first time I've been pulling fish.
11:49Pagdadaklis is not only a way to entertain,
11:51but it also becomes a livelihood for others.
11:55How many hours do they do this
11:58and what time of day?
12:01There's always a good day.
12:04If someone gets the first catch,
12:08it's the next day.
12:10That's a lot.
12:11That's a lot.
12:12Up to Gabot Norte.
12:15Is this only for eating
12:19or is it also for selling?
12:23If there's a lot, we sell it.
12:25If it's not enough, we sell it.
12:28Sell it.
12:30Or we make bagoong or fish sauce.
12:35The fish caught
12:36are made into paksiw
12:37or kinilaw.
12:39Alright.
12:40This is the new catch.
12:41This is what I'm going to taste first.
12:45That's the baby dillis?
12:46Baby dillis.
12:47Correct.
12:48How does it taste?
12:49Fresh.
12:50Yes.
12:51It's really fresh.
12:52It's just tasty.
12:53Yes, it's really tasty.
12:54It hasn't been...
12:56It hasn't been tasted yet?
12:57It hasn't been seasoned yet.
12:59But it's fresh.
13:00It's really fresh.
13:02But I think I like the younger one better.
13:05This one.
13:06Yes.
13:07It's more delicious.
13:08It's delicious.
13:16Here in the market,
13:17there's a free food trip.
13:20And the food looks good.
13:21It's the favorite of the locals.
13:23From a distance,
13:24you can see the bunches of food.
13:27This is called pokpoklo.
13:29It's a kind of seaweed that's popular in the area.
13:32Can I just taste it?
13:34It's okay like this.
13:35It's like you're making a pancita.
13:37It's like a salad.
13:38It's just tomato and...
13:41That's all?
13:42Where is it from?
13:44It's deep, sir.
13:45It's about 10 feet.
13:46It's a bit...
13:47Yes, it's really deep.
13:48It's just right.
13:49Yes, it's just right.
13:53It's like a can.
13:54It's like it's popping.
13:56It's crunchy.
13:57Of course, it's salty because of the sea.
13:59Yes, it's salty.
14:00That's why it's just tomato.
14:01It's tasty.
14:02That's why it's just tomato.
14:04That's the only difference, sir.
14:06How much is it per kilo?
14:08It's 1.27 per kilo.
14:101.27 per kilo.
14:13Aligner has a tip on how to know if the pokpoklo is fresh.
14:19If it's not fresh, it's a bit dry and soggy.
14:22It's not dry, it's watery.
14:24Oh, it's watery and soggy.
14:25Yes.
14:26So this one,
14:28the water is still inside
14:31and it's still fresh.
14:32It's still fresh.
14:33But when it's watery,
14:35it's like it's drowning in the sea.
14:37To make it easier for people to buy,
14:39they have a free taste.
14:42Because everyone who buys,
14:43will taste and taste and taste.
14:45They can just taste it and have a free taste?
14:46Yes, free taste.
14:47They can taste it like that.
14:49From seaweeds,
14:50I noticed a different kind of vegetable
14:52that we don't see often.
14:54This is a bit different.
14:55What is it called?
14:56This is called sugod-sugod, sir.
14:58Sugod-sugod?
14:59Yes, sir.
15:00Is it a prick?
15:01No, sir.
15:02But it's wild, sir.
15:03It just grows in the woods,
15:05in the mountains.
15:06So you don't plant it?
15:08You can, sir.
15:09But only a few people are planting it now.
15:12What is its taste?
15:13What is its texture?
15:14It's like...
15:16Is it a prick?
15:17It's like a prick.
15:18Yes, sir.
15:19It's hard on the outside.
15:20But inside...
15:21But inside, it has...
15:23seeds.
15:24It has seeds too?
15:25Yes, sir.
15:26But you can eat the seeds, sir.
15:27Oh, you can eat it?
15:28Like okra?
15:29Yes, sir. You can eat the seeds.
15:30But once it's ripe, you can't eat it anymore, sir.
15:32You can't eat it anymore?
15:33No, sir.
15:35120 pesos per kilo of sugod-sugod.
15:39Oh, there it is.
15:41This is the sugod-sugod.
15:42Can you see it?
15:44This is the sugod-sugod.
15:45Because that's the seed.
15:48We saw it earlier.
15:49Ate showed it to us.
15:54Yes, that's right.
15:55It's like a prick.
16:01Nice.
16:03Ayos.
16:05This is what they call the vegetable that has the most suspense.
16:11Dang, dang, dang.
16:18Ayos.
16:25In the town of Badoc, in Ilocos Norte,
16:27in the town of Badoc, in Ilocos Norte,
16:29there was a miracle performed by a Virgin.
16:32Those who were sick, many of them recovered.
16:36And those who had a board exam,
16:38they would come here to pray.
16:42Most of them were able to pass.
16:45The miracles were because of the image of La Virgen Milagrosa,
16:49which was discovered by a boatman in the sea of Badoc.
16:54Way back, 1620,
16:56when the fishermen were at sea,
17:01they saw two big boxes.
17:06Those boxes were very heavy.
17:12The boxes of La Virgen Milagrosa
17:14were carried by fishermen.
17:17But they couldn't carry it because of its weight.
17:20The fishermen tried to carry the boxes of La Virgen Milagrosa,
17:25but it was too light.
17:29As a reminder of how the La Virgen Milagrosa miracle was discovered,
17:33this chapel in Badoc was designed by a so-called boatman.
17:38One of the blessed miracles of La Virgen Milagrosa
17:41is the marriage of Norlin and Edrelin.
17:45We became devotees of La Virgen Milagrosa
17:48when I gave birth to my child.
17:52They were premature.
17:55They had a hole in their heart.
17:58They were still in their fifties.
18:00That's why we approached him for help.
18:06In bad luck,
18:07one of them had a heart attack and was left in the hospital
18:10with a critical condition.
18:13The only thing they saw was the La Virgen Milagros
18:16and the image of Norlin carrying it.
18:19We spent a lot of money for the operation.
18:24That's when we approached La Virgen Milagrosa.
18:32We prayed a lot.
18:35In the third time, the child had a 2D echo.
18:38There was no more hole in his heart.
18:40The couple believed that the Virgin heard their prayer.
18:43Now, he's okay.
18:45He's grown up.
18:47He's studying.
18:50He's able to do what normal children do.
18:57It is also said that the Virgin is giving protection to an island in Badoc.
19:03When La Virgen Milagrosa was here,
19:06there were a lot of delugas like Baguio and Lindol.
19:13Our area wasn't affected much.
19:19From the drop-off point,
19:20the boat will ride for 15 to 20 minutes to reach Badoc Island.
19:25We were greeted by blue water,
19:28beautiful rock formations,
19:30and fine sand.
19:31Untouched and uninhabited on the island.
19:34Compared to other tourist destinations,
19:36there are fewer people here.
19:38This is my first time here in Badoc Island.
19:42It's spacious.
19:43The sand is beautiful.
19:46It's flat.
19:50The favorite of the Ilocanos is Kinilaw.
19:52But it's not only the fish that is made from Kinilaw.
19:56This is called Caliente.
20:00But it's not only the fish that is made from Kinilaw.
20:02There are also fish that are made from Kalabaw.
20:04The main source of its food
20:06are construction workers like Rodney.
20:08Ma'am, 6 Caliente, please.
20:10Okay.
20:12Since I was a kid,
20:14I still eat it.
20:16It's delicious.
20:17It's good for cooking.
20:19It's good for lunch.
20:22We, Ilocanos, love Kinilaw.
20:26So, we use vinegar, ginger, and onions
20:31to make Kinilaw.
20:34The skin of Kalabaw is the main ingredient of Kinilaw.
20:37It's grilled or smoked
20:39to remove the fishy smell.
20:41And it's peeled to get the burnt parts.
20:45Then, it's boiled for 4 hours
20:48or depending on the age of the Kalabaw.
20:57Caliente.
20:59It's like,
21:00it's like,
21:01it's like a potato.
21:03What is it?
21:04It's like a potato with fat.
21:06It has fat, right?
21:07This is their bestseller.
21:09Is it high in cholesterol?
21:11It looks like it's high in cholesterol,
21:14good and bad.
21:15Wow.
21:16So, it's just once in a while.
21:18Oh, it's gone.
21:20Cheers.
21:26The texture,
21:27it's my first time eating this.
21:28The texture is like gelatin.
21:30Yeah.
21:31It's like a candy for kids
21:34with sugar.
21:35Minus the sugar.
21:36Minus the sugar.
21:37It's chewy.
21:38That's the texture.
21:39Yeah.
21:40But the taste,
21:43it's a bit sour.
21:44Yeah.
21:46The specialty of this dish
21:48that Ilocanos have been eating for 5 decades,
21:51Paksiw that's not sour?
21:54Is that possible?
21:55What we know about Paksiw
21:57is the Paksiw that's fragrant and sour.
22:00But our Paksiw here
22:02is sautéed with the bitterness
22:04that we call it in Ilocos.
22:06That's why the taste is bitter.
22:08It's not the usual taste that you taste in other places.
22:12It's a unique taste here in Ilocos.
22:15Sinanglaw in Ilocos Sur.
22:17But here in Ilocos Norte,
22:19this is called Paksiw.
22:21They've been eating this for a long time.
22:23Do you know, Suki?
22:24There's something called matik
22:25that they do when they order.
22:27Our locals here,
22:29when they eat,
22:30they mix the vinegar with chili
22:33in our Paksiw.
22:35It's straight.
22:36Maybe the taste of our vinegar
22:39is different from the usual vinegar of other places.
22:43It's to control the bitterness.
22:47When we're in Ilocano,
22:49we prefer flavorings.
22:53The flavor is more flavorful.
22:56We're from Bintar, ma'am.
22:59We ordered everything.
23:04It's not only the locals who approve of this food,
23:07but also the celebrities
23:08who have tasted their food.
23:10Aside from Paksiw,
23:11their crispy dinuguan is also served.
23:15And lauya,
23:16or boiled pork with red soup
23:18because of the tomatoes.
23:19But let's eat.
23:23Like a local,
23:24Thea is a foodie.
23:26Maybe it's natural for her to ride
23:28the bamboo raft of the locals.
23:30So, Thea,
23:31we're here in Badoc.
23:33Those floating cottages you see,
23:36those can be rented by tourists.
23:38I mean,
23:39have you ever eaten there,
23:41experienced the floating cottages?
23:42Once.
23:43Once.
23:44But it's so dark already.
23:45It's already dark.
23:46It's better when it's bright like this.
23:48It's brighter.
23:49Now, apparently,
23:50not many people know,
23:52before this area,
23:54there were a lot of fish pens
23:57or fish cages,
23:58specifically bangus.
24:00And the bamboo they used,
24:03that's the old cage of their fish pen.
24:07But apparently,
24:08our business went bankrupt.
24:10So they used that
24:12to make floating cottages.
24:14At least, right?
24:15It's a waste.
24:16It's a waste,
24:17it's useless.
24:18That's what I learned here in Ilocos.
24:21Aside from floating cottages,
24:22they also have bamboo rafts
24:24called raket.
24:26They use these
24:27for fishing
24:28for two people.
24:29Are you game
24:31to try this version
24:33of the stand-up paddle board?
24:35Yes, I'm game.
24:36I'm game for everything.
24:37You're not going to hit me?
24:39Dependent.
24:40Dependent?
24:41Alright, let's try it.
24:45Let's go.
24:55While Thea is enjoying
24:56as a passenger princess,
24:58I feel like I'm getting nervous
25:00for a ride for Thea.
25:09It didn't take long
25:10for Thea to want to try
25:12how to make it float.
25:14Will she be able to do it alone?
25:16Hold on,
25:17Thea looks natural
25:18when it comes to fishing.
25:19Isn't that Gina Bejero?
25:24I'm so happy.
25:25It's like I'm working out.
25:27It's been a while
25:28since I worked out
25:29with Moony Moony.
25:30How was your experience
25:32here in Ilocos Norte,
25:33this side of Ilocos Norte?
25:34It was so fun
25:35because
25:36when you think of Ilocos Norte,
25:38it's like a sand dune.
25:40But you can't think of
25:42sugarcane experience,
25:44paddle boarding,
25:46this beautiful sunset.
25:47You can experience this
25:48here in Ilocos Norte.
25:51We always say this,
25:53ask the locals.
25:56Because we'll get to know
25:57a place
25:59from the eyes
26:00of the locals.
26:13ILOCOS NORTE
26:15www.ilo.org