Altavas Puto Tostado

A Tradition of Good Taste

By Sally Villasis, RAC Representative, Aklan State University

and Jeffrey Gervacio, Information Services Specialist, FITS Altavas

Since 1914, the family of Evelyn Belarmino, Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) of Altavas, Aklan, has been engaged in the production of puto tostado, a delicacy made from finely chosen quality rice that undergoes a fine technology or quality control all happening in a simple household.

“This business has been going on since four generations ago,” said Evelyn who has been managing it for 33 years. The production of the delicacy has grown to become the major cottage industry of the town.

So popular is the Altavas puto tostado that it is one of the major products promoted by the Local Government Unit. It is one of products displayed during agro-industrial expos and provincial, regional and national exhibits and fairs. It is also sold in a tourist center in Altavas which is visited by local and foreign tourists.

Puto Tostado is made from finely chosen quality rice grains that are soaked in water overnight. The following day, the soaked rice grains are drained and pounded into rice starch in a wooden mortar and pestle.

The rice starch is sifted in coarse sinamay (fiber from banana stalk) then with a finer one. Then it is evenly mixed with muscovado or refined brown sugar. The mixture is molded and placed upside down in a clay-pot steamer fully wrapped in cheese cloth.

After being steamed, the cooked mixture is toasted in an improvised can oven over charcoal. Once it is cooked, it is allowed to cool and stored in a tightly sealed plastic.

Puto tostado is an innovation of a regular rice cake that originally had a one-day shelf life. With the improvement, its shelf life has been extended to two months.

A single production costs P162.00, which turns out 17 packs with 50 pieces of puto tostado each. It is sold at P30.00 per pack that gives 68.23 % return on investment per production.

MS Belarmino confides that through the income from the business, they were able to send their five children to school, who are now professionals.

MS Belarmino said she learned much about the business at a young age, and said, "I would like my children to continue the tradition."

MS Tubongbanua's yellow ketchup colors 10th Philippine Food Expo

Moniela G. Dela Cruz

Staff

WESVARRDEC

In the 10th Philippine Food Expo held February 24 to 27, 2011 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City,the processed mango products of Rebecca Tubongbanua, Magsasaka Siyentista of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), was among the six commodities featured at the booth of Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development’s (PCARRD) booth.

PHILFOODEX is the biggest umbrella organization of food manufacturers and exporters while the exposition is the only all-Filipino consumer event in the country.

The other 5 commodities on display from PCARRD’s other member-consortia were strawberry products form Benguet, canned chevon (goat meat) from Cagayan Valley, muscovado sugar and coconut-based condiments from Davao, and Pili oil from the Bicol region.

The mango ketchup and mango sauce drew feedback from the guests, ranging from astonishment that “yellow” ketchup and sauce do exist in the market and that it actually tastes good, to praise for Ms. Tubongbanua for coming up with and pursuing such an idea.

MS Tubongbanua said that her products are proofs of her concern for the mango growers and farmers in Guimaras, whose “blemish-free” mangoes only were being purchased by traders and exporters and that those with slight defects have no market, resulting in low revenues. Such concern for farmers led her to develop what is now the McNester's array of mango-based processed products.

On the first day of the exhibit, Tubongbanua cooked her concoction of a pasta meal in mango sauce and chicken, combining her product with darag native chicken, another focus commodity of WESVARRDEC, and with the pili oil of the Bicol Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (BCARRD).

Guests and exhibitors were invited to sample the dish, which was consumed in no time. On the second day, MS Tubongbanua prepared pizza with mango sauce and ham, along with BCARRD’s vegetable salad with pili oil and mango sauce as dressing were eagerly awaited by samplers. Such was the success of the products that on the 3rd day, with the mango ketchup serving as dips for crackers and chips, all the remaining sauce and ketchup bottles were sold out.

On the fourth and last day, to create more awareness for the “yellow” sauce, a tuna spaghetti was served for the excited suki and the newcomers. While Ms. Tubongbanua prepared for her various dishes, the curious crowd of housewives, students, and exporters, grilled her with questions about her recipe, her product outlets and her packaging.

Unfortunately for the Luzon consumers, Tubongbanua said at the moment, her products are distributed in Iloilo and Guimaras only. According to her, the Philippine Food Expo is only one avenue given by PCARRD to promote her products to a wider local and global market.

True enough, there were several prospects and opportunities that came her way, one of which was when a lady purchased 10 bottles of mango sauce to bring to Hong Kong as samples and another was a possibility to display her products at the SM Makati weekend market, through the assistance of PCARRD and PHILFOODEX.

CapSU FITS centers on the move

By Niño S. Manaog

To prepare to achieve optimum performance as a partner member agency of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), the Capiz State University (CapSU) Techno Gabay Team—led by Team Leader Eduardo Navarra, university extension specialist—led the second bimonthly meeting with the old and new Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Centers in the province of Capiz Feb. 23, 2011 at the FITS Center Dumalag in Poblacion, Dumalag, Capiz.

After Dr. Anna Mae Relingo, WESVARRDEC Regional Techno Gabay Group (RTGG) Coordinator briefed the participants on the consortium’s Techno Gabay modality, Navarra monitored the activities and updates of the managers from six attending FITS Centers.

Among others, FITS OPA Capiz Manager Audie Belargo shared to the group a sampling of IEC materials which his office churned out recently, while FITS Dao Manager Susan Dordas stressed on organic technologies being widely promoted and practiced in her municipality.

Meanwhile, Ivisan FITS Manager Letecia Andrada—being new to the WESVARRDEC family—sought to be oriented on the consortium and the Techno Gabay modality. Andrada came to the meeting with her prospective MS Roosevelt Villarde, and their Technology Services Specialist (TSS) and Information Services Specialist (ISS).

For his part, TG Team Leader Navarra announced that nominated MSs of the newly launched FITS centers will be pre-evaluated in the second week of March and will be formally evaluated by WESVARRDEC within the same month.

Mr. Roosevelt Villarde and his coco shell products are being recommended for FITS Ivisan; Mr. Restituto Babao, Jr. engaged in corn production is recommended by OPA Capiz; and Mr. Wilfredo Corcino of Dao is being endorsed for his natural farming system practice and organic technologies.

Both appointed in 2010, MS Randy Fancubila of Dumalag is engaged in bamboo engineering while MS Igmedio Llamelo of Jamindan is involved in abaca nursery and plantation.

Further, to prepare materials that can be used for the upcoming Techno Gabay summit in May 2011, the team agreed to hold an IEC writing workshop to be led by WESVARRDEC’s Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG) in the second week of April this year. In the proposed two-day writing workshop, to be attended by ISS and MS of each FITS, functional promotional materials on the MS and FITS products are expected to be published which shall be given out in the product exhibits in the May Techno Gabay Summit.

Before the meeting adjourned, Jamindan FITS Manager Remedios Llamelo acting in behalf of other FITS managers, moved to draft a resolution asking Congressman Baby Jane Castro of the second district of Capiz to donate one unit of multi-cab for each of the FITS centers.

The CapSU meeting was generously hosted and supported by FITS Center Dumalag led by FITS Manager Ronelyn de Tomas, TSS Teresita Badilla and ISS Bernie Protacio.

OPA Negros Occidental introduces post-harvest breakthrough

By Vishia Mae Dominic J Tolcidas

RACG Representative

FITS OPA Negros Occidental

Farmers and fisherfolks in Negros need not worry of rainy days or the absence of sunlight any longer because a post-harvest breakthrough will soon be the answer to their drying woes.

The Dual Feed Dryer, a one-of-a-kind drying facility, was devised by the AgriculturalEngineering Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) to suit all weather types, making drying of fish and crops for banana and potato chips a breeze.

The innovation could shorten the drying process for fish to half from the usual drying time of three days, and only about three hours for ‘lamayo’ (local term for semi-dried fish),” said Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Igmedio Tabianan, who designed the prototype. He added that the enclosure makes the facility dust-free, smoke-free, and insect-free.

“It is also economical because it uses solar energy and biomass fuel such as charcoal and rice hull. Materials such as plywood, lumber and galvanized iron sheet used to assemble the device are available in the local market,” he said.

Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. is happy with the innovation which is attuned to the NEGROS FIRST Agenda on Food Security of the Province of Negros Occidental.

Tabianan said the provincial chief executive plans to mass-produce the dyer after he personally inspected it at the OPA Demonstration Farm located at the back of the Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City.

“Many local government units have already signified their intention to avail of the equipment to help in the drying needs of farmers and fisherfolks in their localities,” said Engr. Jimbo Garsula, head of the OPA Agricultural Engineering Division.

At the week-long Minuluan Festival Agro-Fair in Talisay City in September last year, farmers and fisherfolk took turns in drying fish and bananas for chips after OPA staff demonstrated how the Dual Feed Dryer works.

The Nutrition and Home Management Division of OPA also used the equipment to dry the tilapia they used during the 'tilanggit' processing they conducted at the Demo Farm.

The first-of-its-kind Dual Feed Dryer stands tall with the Provincial Capitol Building in the background.

Fish drying in the new facility. (OPA and Capitol photos)

Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. inspects the Dryer for Fish and Crops as Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Igmedio Tabianan and Executive Assistant Angel Verdeflor look on