By Estrella Torres
BACOLOD, the robust capital of Negros Occidental, celebrates its annual Panaad sa Negros Festival every summer to affirm the people’s gratitude for a rich harvest.
Panaad in the Visayan dialect means a promise or a vow. It is also a time for the Negrense farmers to renew their commitment to nurture the soil.
This year’s Panaad festival coincides with the United Nations declaration for 2015 as the Year of the Soil which raises awareness on the need to push for organic farming and stop the use of dangerous pesticides.
The UN cites that “a nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.”
The Negrense farmers are very much aware of the need to return to organic farming to nurture the soil and produce healthy harvest for the population.
Edgardo Uychiat, head of the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, said Negros is in a position to implement 100-percent organic farming in the next 10 years.
He said the government needs to focus on food security by pushing sustainable organic farming.
Among the measures needed by the farmer is a dedicated rice mill for organic rice. Also, there is a need to lower prices of organic products by making the certification rates affordable to farmers’ groups.
“It takes time to convert the minds of the leaders but the local government units should take the initiative,” Uychiat said in an interview with reporters.
He said with members reaching 10,000 farmers who decided to turn organic, Negros Occidental can implement full organic farming in the next 10 years.
The Panaad festival gives Bacolod a different face beyond its image as a city of smile and sugar capital.
One of the main attractions during the Panaad festival is the weekend market of organic farmers where both tourists and Negrenses enjoy sumptuous organic meals, brewed coffee grown from Mount Kanlaon, fresh fruits and vegetables and other food products. Must-try at the weekend market 20 minutes off Bacolod City is the organic yoghurt and sugarcane juice, seafood meals, such as prawns and crabs and the mouthwatering seafood paella.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has introduced new and exciting tourist destinations during the 22nd Panaad festival held on the first week of April.
The multipurpose stadium in Bacolod is intended for the Panaad festival event and it gives tourists a glimpse of exciting destinations, history and culture of the province through the replicas of the landmarks of its 13 cities and 19 towns displayed in the stadium.
Throughout the week, tourists can also watch colorful dance competition, beauty contest, exhibits of world-class products from furniture, home designs and famous organic food products.
The Panaad festival is a time to discover new destinations in Negros Occidental, such as Bago City, 21.5 kilometers from Bacolod City by land.
The DOT is promoting the Rafael Salas Park & Nature Center nestled on the hills of Mount Kanlaon Natural Park in Bago City. It takes 30 minutes to reach Bago City from Bacolod City through a private van, or an hour if you take a minibus.
The ecopark serves as the gateway to the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park and is named after Filipino statesman Rafael Salas, who was the founding head of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). It is now being managed by his wife and former Philippine ambassador to the Czech Republic Carmencita Salas in cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The 296-hectare protected area situated in the middle of lush forest of Mount Kanlaon is home to endemic plants and animal species and is classified as one of the DENR’s Protected areas.
The ecopark is a favorite destination for mountain climbers and trekkers. As wildflowers abound the area, the place is even perfect for walking tour.
Ambassador Salas said a training center will soon rise inside the ecopark to give a relaxing yet affordable venue for seminars of employees and personnel from government agencies and local government units (LGUs).
A walk through the tranquil path of the ecopark surrounded by wildflowers and giant endemic trees is a perfect activity.
But wait until you are captivated by the sound of a hidden gem—the Kipot Twin Falls in Mount Kanlaon.
The enchanting Kipot Twin Falls is in Barangay Mailum, Bago City.
Getting to the viewing deck requires a long walk down the 220 steps, but the sound of water cascading and the cool breeze will be all worth it.
There is a summer resort near the falls that is perfect for family picnics and nature-tripping activities.
Families and friends need to stay longer, for about three to four days, to lavish the cool mountain breeze of Mount Kanlaon.
A perfect place for your stay is the Buenos Aires Mountain Resort in Barangay Ilijan in Bago City.
Wake up to the complete serenity of this place surrounded by giant trees, which gives a picture-perfect silhouettes of sun rays each morning.
The resort is being managed by the local government of Bago City and offers affordable room rates. The rates range from P1,500 per night for four to six persons and P3,500 per night for seven to 15 persons. The resort is also perfect for swimming, as there are picnic facilities for rent.
Besides the relaxing view, Bago City also boasts of its rich history.Interestingly, Bago City plays a significant role in the freedom day of the Negrenses celebrated every November 5.
Rebels from Bago City, led by a sugar baron named Juan Anacleto Araneta, made history in November 5,1898, when they deceived the Spanish forces as they marched to Bacolod.
Araneta’s army had only three firearms—a Remington rifle, a Mauser rifle and a shotgun. He told the rebel forces to cut nipa stems and to shoulder these as if these were rifles.
Upon reaching Bacolod, the rebels told the Spanish forces to surrender to avert bloodshed. The Spanish governor of Negros Island, Don Isidro Castro, feared defeat as he saw a fully armed rebel forces. He surrendered to rebel forces under Juan Araneta and Aniceto Lacson in Bacolod on the next day.