Isabela

From Visayas, next in our line-up of provinces to be featured in Sheka is Isabela in the North. Aboard a Florida Super Deluxe bus, we took the seven-hour trip to Alicia where we stayed at Rosato Hotel by the highway. Leaving Earnshaw bus terminal at 8:15 pm of Thursday, we reached our destination past 3:00 am of Friday.

We took long travels within Isabela, seeing vast farmlands and passing by the Cagayan river. We were able to maximize our stay as we explored how the locals actually live and to discover the traditional recipes that they came up with.

I was able to:
1. Sample their dishes called Abal-Abal (Salagubang or Beetle) made crispy, Pato Tim (uses duck meat instead of pata), and goat specialties.
2. Enjoy the boodle fight during the evening party hosted by Vice Governor Rodito Albano at San Pablo, Isabela.
3. Visit the farm of Tata Lagring, a Gawad Saka awardee and interview him about his beginnings as an agriculturist from UP Los Bańos and how he maintains integrated farming in 80 hectares of land.
4. Know Mayor Ma. Lourdes Panganiban of Angadanan, Isabela whose background lies in trauma counselling. She pushes for women empowerment, bringing knowledge on Magna Carta of Women to barangays.
5. Watch the beauty pageant held in Cabagan.
6. See how they make the Patupat and Atsarang Labong (Bamboo Shoot Pickles).
7. Go to the trade exhibit in Ilagan.

Catch the episodes of Sheka on May 12 (Bohol) and May 19 (Isabela), 8:30 – 9:30 am in PTV-4. This is part of the tie-up between the station and the Lady Municipal Mayors Association of the Philippines.