Foodtrip Feature:

SARONGSONG at THE FARM

A hearty bite while blindfolded, and your senses would tell you this is the fullness of puto-humay: that bouncy-sweet goodness, the hint of cooked coconut milk and the fresh scent of leavening.

Take that blindfold and you will see, not puto humay, but this is something else.

Sarongsong.

In Alicia, Bohol, the town’s extreme sports competitions have become synonymous to this native delicacy, this uniquely packaged puto included in a racer’s kits and the town’s promotional materials.

Sarongsong is basically a rice cake made from rice ground to powder, coconut milk, brown sugar and leavening.

When the leavening is tuba, preparation takes time as the mixture of ground rice is first soaked in coconut milk, sugar and tuba overnight. A damp cloth forms its cover as it is kept for the cooking the following day.

For faster preparation time, cooks here use commercial yeast, set aside for an hour and it is ready for the steamer.

What differs sarongsong from puto humay?

Sarongsong is a puto humay rice cake in most aspects, except its cooking receptacle or mold.

While rice cakes (puto humay) are placed in young banana-leaf-lined torta tin mold or empty milk cans, sarongsong uses a special mold: cone-shaped banana leaf (where the leavened mixture is poured) and arranged to hang in a grate holder (sarang) inside a steamer. Here the sarongsong cones could be arranged a few inches above the boiling water in the pot.

Trivia.

Me thinks sarongsong comes from two words: sarang (grate) and songsong (plug). In short, sarongsong is mga songsong sa sarang or plugs in the grate.

According to elders, sarongsong is common in eastern to the mountain communities of Bohol.

The sarongsong in Alicia is said to be a reintroduction of the culinary heritage by Boholanos who come from Mindanao.

It could also be a Boholano cooking tradition brought to Mindanao which found its way back to Bohol generations later.

In Alicia, sarongsong is sold in the public market during market days and in cockpit arenas during Sundays.

Also a favorite feature in life’s events in the town, the sarongsong is usually a fiesta fare, the native delicacy gracing the tables of the rich and the poor. .

As Alicia picks the extreme sports tourism with its internationally popular trail runs at The Alicia Panoramic Park (TAPP), their events include the sarongsong in their race provisions and solidarity food.

Sarongsong is always available at The Farm, the food and billeting accommodation provider at the base of the TAPP Trails. The Farm also provides individuals and group’s food needs for their treks.

The sarongsong at The Farm is supplied by Cristeta (Quinlog) Equipilag, who learned of the traditional cooking from her grandparents who also got it from their elders.

She said when properly cooked, sarongsong can last for three to four days.

It can last even longer when refrigerated and steamed when about to be eaten.

Next time you visit TAPP for an activity, do not miss this unique delicacy at The Farm.

For details, check out Alicia Municipal Tourism Office. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

For August 2021…

2 COVID-19 deaths

daily average here

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 28 (PIA) – For those who remained adamant to heed the call of scientists to get vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for fear of the unknown, take this fact: every day since July 31, 2021, over 2 people die of the dreaded disease.

And if it helps again, 75% of those who died of the disease were unvaccinated, another 25% have vaccines in the first dose, but died before they could get the final dose.

None of those who got full vaccination, meaning some 14 days have lapsed since the second jab, died, according to a report last week by the Bohol Inter-Agency task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (BIATF).

With the death count attributed to the virus that has caused a global pandemic reaching 199 in July 31, Bohol last year averaged some 15 deaths in a month since the health authorities recorded the first COVID-19 death last May 26, 2020 to a septuagenarian from Panggangan Calape.

Simply put, the 199 was divided into 13 months considering June 2020 to July 2021 to get an average of 15.30, or a little over 15 deaths in a month.

15 deaths in a month is also equivalent to one death in every two days.

However, from July 31 to August 28 however, the figure becomes a high concern.

According to a daily COVID tracker shared by the BIATF August 28, deaths have reached the 265 mark.

While the deaths were few and far in between in the first eight months or until January 2021, the figures soon picked up pace beginning March 2021.

The month of August could be worst, with deaths heaping up every day.

Here, epidemiologists have insisted that apart from strictly maintaining the minimum public health protocols, attaining herd immunity through vaccination is among the most proven ways to defeat a pandemic.

As of Friday last week, the Provincial Vaccination Operation Center shared that the initial target is to get to the 850/000 individuals who have been prioritized for most immediate protection, them being at higher risk than most people.

Of the figure, Bohol vaccination teams have fully vaccinated 160,255 Boholanos and partially vaccinated 151,325 using the vaccines available here.

A total of 311,502 Boholanos then have either been fully vaccinated fully or partially by either Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sputnik V, Moderna and Johnson and Johnsons.

As of last week, as vaccinations continue especially for tourism frontline workers and workers in the essential sectors, some 330,502 vaccines were still available and could last about a little over a week before the vaccines again, run out. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

STILL IN THE PRIORITY GROUPS A1-A4. Bohol vaccination teams are on to the task until the vaccines last. Many Boholanos have been convinced but still a sizable number have been openly refraining from the inoculations, mostly due to misinformation and sheer stubborn attitude. (PIABohol)

Bohol still at 16.41 %

To herd immunity goal

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 28 (PIA) – Five months and a couple of week after the first vaccine jab was administered in Bohol, the province has since given full protection from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to 16.41% of its population.

A report from the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF) for the management of Emerging Infectious Disease dated 1:00 PM August 24, 2021, bared this.

Based on the most recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which conducted the 2020 Census on Population and Housing until May 31, 2021, Bohol has attained a population of 1,394,329.

From that figure, BIATF said local vaccine teams have reached out to 160,255 Boholanos who have been given their complete shots against the virus.

Epidemiologists hypothesize that, like all epidemics, COVID can be beaten by attaining a critical mass to be vaccinated.

They said the vaccinating 70% of the entire population would have attained for a place herd immunity or 'population immunity' from the infectious disease.

At 70% of its population, vaccination teams would need to get to 976,030 Boholanos to be vaccinated twice for the two-dose vaccine, and once for Johnson and Johnsons.

While attaining the 70% vaccination rate may be too far off for now, epidemiologists said a 50% vaccination rate of the entire population would already have its desirable effects.

At 50% of the total population, vaccine teams would need to get to 697,164 Boholanos to start experiencing the going down of new cases and deaths.

BIATF spokesperson Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez in fact confirmed that at 50% of the population vaccination rate, the place would start experiencing lessened new active and death cases.

Still, if the 50% vaccination rate is too far-fetched for now, even a 30% vaccination rate would already have some significant milestones in the fight against COVID.

At 30% vaccination rate of the entire population, epidemiologists said the curve would be flattened: the new would cases stabilize and there would be no alarming new deaths.

As to the latest BIATF report, while 160,255 have gotten their two doses, another 151,325 have been given the first shots and wait for another more month to be completely protected.

By then, Bohol could have attained 31.91% vaccinated and fully protected Filipinos. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Traffic related incidents

Slowed down 16.16%

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 19 (PIA) – Despite a relatively freer environment for motorists and commuters with community quarantine restrictions still up, traffic related incidents still managed to slightly slowed down clocking a 16.16% reduction of cases in the first four months of the year.

Enhanced police presence on the streets, border control points and active patrols have relatively kept people from unnecessary travel, which could have contributed to the decrease in incidents involving vehicles on the streets, summed up Camp Dagohoy’s Operations Officer Police major Norman Nuez, who shared the report in lieu of Colonel Osmundo Salibo, provincial director.

During the quarterly joint Provincial Peace and order Council, anti Drug Abuse Council and Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), Major Nuez showed a comparative chart showing the traffic related incidents in first four months of 2020 and 2021.

In 2020 for example, physical injuries caused by traffic related incidents reached 495 for a monthly average of 123 cases.

By this year, for the same period January to April, the incidents went down to 429, or some 66 incidents less, figuring out a 13.33% dip.

For damage to property caused by traffic related incidents, in the first four months of 2020, Bohol Police Provincial Office records 463 incidents which jumped down to 386 in the same opening months of 2021.

The 77 incidents less in 2021 is some 16.63% drop from the previous year’s incidents.

As to homicide caused by traffic related incidents, 2020 records 27 cases which dipped down to 22 by the same period this year.

This reduction of 5 incidents is 18.52% from the 2020 data.

By the end of the first quarter of the year, with the noted surge in coronavirus disease, and with the reports that public transportation are overloading with passengers risking social distancing, the police force once again combed the streets to implement the relevant Department of Transportation policies for transport in General Community Quarantine areas like Bohol.

The simultaneous checkpoints and the patrols have caused workers who have problems with drivers licenses and vehicle registrations to fault in their jobs or be late in timing in.

The drive however resulted in an increase in registrations and obtaining driver’s licenses, which could again work positively for Bohol. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

THIS MUCH. Motorists who have problems with their driving licenses or vehicle registrations wait it out until the police checkpoint breaks, before they can slip through. If this much are not paying the proper road taxes, notice how much the government is losing, while increasing the chances of more traffic incidents. (PIABohol)

PDEA drug sniffing dogs foil

shabu thru ‘courier’ attempt

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 19 (PIA) – No matter how hard would the authorities try, criminals would still find ways to get ahead, but not this time.

Drug sniffing dogs of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle some 50 grams of illegal drugs in what could be another proof that forwarding companies could be critical help in stopping the illegal trade from entering the island.

A modus which was exposed years ago after suspects confessed their illegal shipment comes conveniently in neat packages through cargo forwarding companies is now being used again.

In the new PDEA leadership under Intelligence Officer V Joseph Theodore Atilla, the incident would be his first.

Last August 21, at around 3:15 PM, PDEA operatives and its K9 unit conducted a routine random inspection on the parcels sent through a forwarding company’ branch in Poblacion 2, Tagbilaran City.

Led and supervised by Atilla, the team coordinated with the forwarding company to check on contraband and illegal drugs possibly hidden in the parcels.

Not two weeks ago, in another incident, somebody sent to their relatives in Bohol some cooked pork, as a traditional “bringhouse,” and got away with it, despite banning pork from outside Bohol to come in.

At one time during the inspection, PDEA dogs NDD Uno and Hyper showed signs that one of the parcels could contain dangerous drugs.

In the presence of prescribed witnesses, the authorities opened the suspicious parcel, and upon inspection, found a pack of around 50 grams of suspected shabu concealed inside a blue belt bag.

According to Atilla, in radio interviews, the parcel came from Iligan and they have investigated the consignee and sender, for the questioned items.

Valued at P340,000.00, the haul is the first and biggest yet that PDEA Bohol confiscated from a courier.

The incident also shows how Bohol is still beset with the problem of illegal drugs in Bohol.

At the joint online Provincial Peace and Order Council, anti-drug abuse council and ELCAC meeting, Camp Dagohoy said they were able to confiscate 1,071.83 grams of illegal drugs from 147 operations beginning January to April 2021.

The biggest bulk of confiscated drugs came in March from 1-31 when, in 45 operations, narcotics agents confiscated 738.89 grams of meth substances believed to be shabu.

The month summed up a total of P5,024,452 of drugs based on the Dangerous Drugs Board value. These were in 45 operations and arresting 47 suspected persons.

In February, PDEA also netted a total of P1,242,884.00 from its 44 operations and arresting 48 suspects.

In January, from 23 operations and after arresting 28 suspects, PDEA confiscated some 76.55 grams off substances believed to be shabu and with a street value of P510,540.00.

In April, PDEA operatives confiscated 73.76 grams of shabu valued at P501,568.00 after 35 operations and arresting 37 suspects. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

SNIFFED AND TALLIED. PDEA operatives and their drug sniffing dogs inventory the drugs confiscated from the cargo forwarding company, after a random K9 inspection last week. (PDEA Bohol)

2020 - 2021 comparative

Total crimes in Bohol

Dip to 32.28% - PNP

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 24 (PIA) – Crime incidents in Bohol, which ranged from peace and order as well as crimes endangering public safety dipped 32.28% in the first four months of the year compared to the same period last year.

In a report from Bohol Police Provincial Office presented by Police Major Norman Nuez, Camp Dagohoy showed that from 3,008 crimes in 2020, the figure dipped to 2.037 in 2021, with almost a thousand incidents staved off from the previous year.

Major Nuez, who presented the information in lieu of Camp Dagohoy Chief Colonel Salibo, during the joint Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting, Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Provincial task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) detailed the crime-busting accomplishment saying that crimes affecting peace and order sagged from 2023 on 2020 to 1,200 in 2021.

The decrease is notably 40.68% with the 823 crimes less in 2021.

These crimes, which include index crimes which are usually violations against the Revised Penal Code include the eight focused crimes of theft, physical injuries, robbery, rape, murder, car-napping, homicide.

Of the 8 focused crimes which the police have been especially tasked to monitor, all crimes except murder went down.

Most notable drops are car-napping which had one case in 2020 to zero in 2021 (100%), motor-napping where 22 incidents in 2020 is now down to 4 in 2021 (82%), homicide from 7 to 2 (71%), theft from 195 to 71 (64%), robbery from 73 to 26 (64%), rape from 44 to 22 (50%) and physical injuries from 129 to 73 (43%).

For non-index crimes or those that violate special laws and classified as those that upset the public safety of a locality, they include violations like illegal drugs, illegal fishing, possession of fire arms and deadly weapons, child abuse and other special laws.

As to crimes involving public safety, Maj. Nuez pointed out that in 2020, Bohol recorded 985 incidents, which also dropped down to 837, the 148 incidents recorded a 15.03% decrease.

Comparing peace and order incidents, he said the total index crimes from January to April in 2020 showed 489 crimes, which dipped to 218; some 271 crimes less for a 55.42% decrease.

In the non-index crimes, in 2010, Camp Dagohoy noted 1534 crimes, which eventually dove to 982 or 552 crimes less for a 35.98% decrease.

Violations against special laws reached 1109 in 2020, down to 717 in 2021 or some 302 criems less or 29.64%.

For other non–index crimes, the record in 2020 reached 515, which eventually went down to 265, 250 crimes less or 48.54%.

For Camp Dagohoy, according to Maj Nuez, the decline in crimes could be attributed to the stricter implementation of community quarantine measures including the institutionalization and unification of province-wide curfew, the setting up of border control points, and roving patrols.

Since March 16 to May 9, for example, Bohol police have successfully accosted 2,739 individuals for 9-5 AM curfew violations, 233 for 24 hours curfew for senior citizens, 1971 violations for curfew for minors.

They also accounted for the 12,420 for face mask violations, 14,980 for social distancing violations, 1077 liquor ban violations, 4,467 violations of social distancing in public transport and 240 violations for non-wearing of face shields in public vehicles. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

SPECIALIZED SERVICE. Bohol crime fighters occasionally use the SWAT to man border control points noting that the highly trained special weapons and tactics officers are well equipped to do the job and double up as counter terrorism force in these key areas. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)