Lapu-Lapu Fattening Farm

This 2.4 hectare multi-knitted fish pens or cages housing tons of Lapu-lapu started as a small business enterprise by a group of Capizeño businessman in 1990 but later ballooned to a million earner industry for the Capizeños. No trade secrets but sheer hard work, dedication and team play. Basing on the farms’ weekly harvest of 450 kilos plus an aggregate 550 kilos from other neighboring farms within the city, an approximate 2.5 tons of Lapu-lapu flows out of Capiz weekly (357 kilos/day) for domestic consumption. The farm is able to provide substantial share for the requirements in Manila as it is able to supply the demand locally in the province. During special occasions such as Sinadya sa Halaran Festival, Seafoods fest and religious fiestas in various Capiz Municipalities, more Lapu-lapu is being consumed locally whish is prompting fish pen owners to expands its area to increase yield and supply the anticipated increased of demand. Along with its expansion plan, newer techniques in handling and feeding has been applied by farm technicians to insure health and freshness of fish when ship to Manila. Today, the industry has flourished to an elevated stage and through the cooperative that initiated the business, has ceased to exist, the continuing supply and demand has continued to increase year after year. Independent owners with each having their own business contacts in Manila, have vowed to keep the supply of Lapu-lapu to a substantial level that it can continuously supply the demands of Manila without sacrificing enough supply for local consumption. After all, Roxas City, Capiz – is the Seafood Capital of the Philippines.

Unique Appetite Sang Capizeños

One of the famous foods the Filipinos are known for is the “balut”. It’s a one-day old boiled duckling egg. Here in Capiz, the “balut” is known as an energizer to those who need strength or aphrodisiac to others. This is peddled every evening by “balut” vendors and they come together with “chicharon”, fired thin slices of pork fat or skin. Another weird food here in Capiz includes pig’s blood soup (dinuguan). Capiznon also eat strange bits of animals – the feet, the head, the guts etc. and this is usually barbecued on a stick. These have been given witty names such as “adidas” (chicken’s feet); “kurbata” (either just chicken neck); “PAL” (chicken wings); “helmet” (chicken heads); and “isaw” (chicken intestines). So there it was the unique Capiznon appetite I do hope you like this simple information about Capiznon. And I hope you did not lose your appetite. Watch out for more unique stories only here.

Ang Mga Hiligaynon

The Capiznon salute the Hiligaynon People. These are the indigenous inhabitants of the large coastal plain of East Panay island. Over the years, intermigrations and intramigrations have contributed to the diaspora of the Hiligaynon to different parts of the country. Now, the Hiligaynon people form the majority in Iloilo province, Capiz province, Negros Occidental province, Guimaras province, and Sultan Kudarat province. They are part of the wider Visayan ethnic group, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnic group. They speak Hiligaynon language. Throughout the Philippines, they speak Tagalog and English as second languages. Most Hiligaynons are Christians belonging to Roman Catholicism. The Capiznon are proud of their native people…The Hiligaynon People.

Arts and Culture of the Capiznon

We are proud to present some arts of the Capiznon. The toltog palanog, a clay flute, is the earliest musical instrument in Panay. It has three holes at one end and two at the shdes. There are several kinds of tulali or bamboo flutes, including the pasyok, a child flute made of stiff rice straw; the dios sios, a set of reeds of different lengths, tied side to side; and the budiong, a shell, with the pointed tip cut off. The tan-ag, made of two pieces of light wood, is the earliest percussion instrument. A set of these is called the dalutang, the bunkaka or takup is a section of bamboo with a split end. It is held in the right hand and struct against a pole in the left hand. Different ways of striking cause variations in rhythm. The roots of Capiznon drama are, in ritual, such as the babaylan rites for appeasing spirits and curing the sick, which include mimetic elements and chant; and second, in the verbal games played at wakes. In the rituals, sacrifices are offered, prayers chanted, and symbolic dance motions made. Religious drama and dramatizations in Western Visayas include the forms found in other regions; the soledad on Easter morning, the taltal or passion play on Good Friday; the Easter procession of the resurrection, in which a boy and a girl dressed as angels recite poems to the Christ and the Virgin; the Constantino in May, dealing with the finding of the Holy Cross; the pastores or da-igon at Christmas time, in which songs are sung by the "shepherds" worshipping the infant Christ. I hoped that this blog will be an instrument so that the rest of the world will know Capiz and the Capiznon that we have rich in culture.