Skip to main content

Davao As Cacao Capital Of PH – Bohol As Chocolate Capital Of Asia!

If you want to settle the dispute between which province should be declared “Cacao Capital of the Philippines,” I say you are being short-sighted. The Genius Rule is: To solve a problem, change the problem! So, look at my title again: “Davao As Cacao Capital Of PH – Bohol As Chocolate Capital Of Asia!”

Given that, Davao can claim all the modern cacaocredits it wants – and Bohol can claim all the historical chocolate credits it has! For instance, where else in Asia can you find the Chocolate Hills except Bohol!? Ha, ha. The upper image[1] is from Garden Café Tagbilaran, Bohol; the lower image is captioned: “The province of Bohol has several cacao trees growing in the backyards of small farmers.” So, Chocolate Hills, cacao backyards: Beat that!

Patricia Bianca S Taculao says (03 July 2020, “Bohol’s Chocolate Princess Revives Heirloom Cacao Planted In Backyards[2],” Agriculture.com.ph):

The province of Bohol, located in the Central Visayas Region, is known for its natural wonder, which is also a favorite tourist destination: the Chocolate Hills. It got its name from the color of the hills during the summer (months), when the lush, green grass on them turns brown. Those who are unaware of this circumstance often ask, “Where is the chocolate?” not knowing that the answer can be found in the backyards of the locals.

Also because of the shape – chocolate drops.

Dalareich Polot is a chocolate maker based in the region. Ms Patricia says Ms Polot says:

Cacao is part of the culture of Bohol. With so much Spanish influence spread across Bohol, it has become the norm for Boholanos to have one to three cacao trees either in the back or front of their houses.

Spanish influence? The word “cocoa” is the Spanish “cacao;” the cacao tree is a native of Mexico[3] (Wikipedia); now you know how the cacao reached the Philippines – via the galleon trade.

Can you dispute history? Ms Polot believes there are more than 10,000 “historical cacao trees” in each town in Bohol. Most of these are of the variety “Criollo,” a word whose definition betrays its origin: “indigenous to or characteristic of a Spanish-American country[4]” (American Heritage Dictionary).

In 2014, Ms Polot enjoyed a scholarship in Ghent University in Belgium to study cacao and chocolate. She believed so much in the Criollo that in 2018 “she launched a program to revive cacao trees in Bohol to help small farmers earn an income from them.” She called the project, “Adopt a Cacao Tree and Preserve Bohol’s Cacao Heritage.”

Cacao Heritage. Ms Polot is Chair of the Bohol Cacao Council. She says, “I’m spearheading the activities of the cacao farmers and at the same time learning from them. We bought cacao from these small farmers and empowered them.”

Cocoa is a heritage act in Bohol. Ms Polot says, “My mom learned how to make tablea from my grandmother.”

“Tablea” is found neither in the English dictionary nor English Wikipedia. The origin must be Filipino. It must be Bohol!@517


[1]https://www.gardencafetagbilaran.com/bohol-tourist-attractions/

[2]https://www.agriculture.com.ph/2020/07/03/bohols-chocolate-princess-revives-heirloom-cacaos-planted-in-backyards/

[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_bean

[4]https://www.thefreedictionary.com/criollo

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Historical PH 1st Holy Mass: Mazaua Or Limasawa? Fr Amalla Vs Maria Serena Diokno Vs Ambeth Ocampo – And The Priest Is Right!

We Filipinos celebrate 500 years of Christianity today Wednesday, 31 March 2021, Christianity brought to pagans by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan sailing the seas for Spain. The historical question is: Where was the first Holy Mass celebrated: “Limasawa” (in Leyte) or “Mazaua” (in Butuan)? Catholic priest Fr Joesilo C Amalla has just published the book (above), An Island They Called Mazaua, that argues the island of “Mazaua” in Butuan is the “true site of first Holy Mass in the Philippines [1] ”  and not “Limasawa” in Leyte (ANN, 07 January 2021, Manila Times ). The declaration and discussion are made by Butuan-based Fr Amalla in his 644-page book. Among other things, he writes: The truth is that the prevailing state- and church-affirmation and multiple reaffirmations of the island of Limasawa as the site of that first Holy Mass have no factual, historical and geographic (bases) whatsoever nor any shred of evidentiary support from cartographic studies, navigational info...
Post a Comment
Read more

The PhilRice Drum Seeder Looked Good In April 2018 – Where Is It Now?

Above, top image, the Antique ricefield looks very promising in yield. Here is the story as shared on Facebook by PhilRice (my translation in English): TINGNAN! Unang palayan sa Sta. Ana, Tibiao, Antique na natamnan ng 60kg binhi kada ektarya sa pamamagitan ng sabog-tanim. Look! First ricefield in Santa Ana, Tibiao, Antique that was planted with 60 kg seeds per hectare by way of broadcasting. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, natunghayan ng mga magsasaka sa nasabing lugar na kayang-kaya ang 60kg kada ektarya gamit ang seed spreader machine (granular applicator) at certified seeds mula sa RCEF. For the first time ever, farmers in that area witnessed that 60 kg/ha is quite enough using a seed spreader machine (granular applicator) and certified seeds from RCEF. Makikita sa larawan na magaganda ang naging tubo at mabubulas ang mga itinanim na palay. What can be seen in the picture is beautiful growth of and robust rice plants. Ayon sa ulat, namangha ang mga magsasaka rito na kay...
Post a Comment
Read more

Davao De Oro Rubber Has Elasticity And Should Be Able To Bounce Back!

  The caption above says, “DA-PRDP turned over the Village Level Rubber Processing and Marketing Enterprise to SARPHIL CARP Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative (SACARBECOM) in Monkayo, Davao De Oro last 11 March 2021.” Rubber being produced in the Philippines, a non-traditional commercial product. We are competing with Indonesia and Malaysia? From the story by Joy M Montecalvo , the caption needs explanation. Not the enterprise itself, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) turned over a village-type rubber sheet facility that can process 192,000 liters of latex yearly. Miss Joy says, “The 124 members of SACARBEMCO will now be able to produce 55 to 60 MT of rubber sheet per annum and increase their income to at least 5 percent per year or a total of 30 percent in six years.” Hopefully, I say. (The SACARBEMCO is the SARPHIL CARP Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative based in Monkayo, Davao De Oro.) Miss Joy says in the headlin...
Post a Comment
Read more