Tuko or Gecko is a common house animal in the province. Folklore says a gecko is used to predict events like the storm or Japanese coming into the village during WWII. It's a 'yes' or 'no' count whenever the gecko sounds out 'tuk-ko'.
What I love about Kabankalan, and not just Kabankalan actually but also other cities here in Manila, is that the cultural provinciality is still storngly felt within the confines of the city. The Filipinos manage to amazingly merge their rural spirit with the wheel of urbanity.
Kalan de Uling or Dapog
Where else in the world will you find city girl more comfortable in using ‘tabo’ to bathe than using the shower, or a hard-nosed city executive preferring Banana-Q and Maruya for merienda instead of croissant. Or a middle class family in Quezon City subdivision still using Kalan de Uling alternately with their La Germania. Onli in da Pilipins.
Kabankalan…huwhat where how?
Kabankalan City is one of the 13 cities in Negros Occ, best known for its annual Sinulog Festival.
Kabankalan is the only province ‘authorized’ by Cebu to call the feast of Sto. Nino as Sinulog and simultaneously celebrate the event every 3rd Sunday of January. Iloilo’s version is called Dinagyang and Aklan’s is Ati-Atihan.
They come here to unwind, chat, play, eat and meet. The Plaza is across St. Francis Xavier Parish.
Pee Station at the Plaza, yey! And oh, accredited at that.
Kabankalan has wide main and side streets with the city plaza, and the church of St. Francis Xavier Parish as the center of local activities. Near the plaza and the church is the public market, various commercial establishments including Gaisano Mall, Mercury Drug Store and Jollibee, banks, stores, schools and soccer field. The city hall of Kabankalan which used to sit near the plaza has transferred office to a new building in a vast complex in Baranggay Talubangi.
Getting Around
In most parts in Manila, tricycles are banned in the main streets. In Kabankalan they are not. Tricycle is likened to a taxi in Kabankalan. You want to go somewhere fast around the city, take a tricycle, for a flat rate of P7 it will take you no matter how far your destination is. Tricycles cannot charge higher than that because they will be reported to the city hall and they will lose their license.
In the morning, you will see the seating capacity power of these tricycles. They can carry up to seven persons.
Kabankalan’s version of jeepneys are colorful ford-fierra type which will will take you to farther towns of Kabankalan and neighboring municipalities. There are also mini buses.
And now for the mighty yellow ‘hari ng kalsada’ of Negros’ streets from Occidental to Oriental – the Ceres buses. Ceres Liner is the largest bus company in Negros. They also have buses that will take you to Cebu, Samar, Leyte and Panay Island. The locals’ misnomer for ‘bus’ is ‘Ceres’ just like saying ‘Xerox’ for photocopy.
Guess what, Ceres serves also as a ‘courier’ for some locals. I was surprised to find out my aunt sending some packages over to Dumaguete for my cousin via Ceres! She asks a Ceres driver from Kabankalan to “handle” her package and my cousin will pick it up in Ceres terminal in Dumaguete. Of course she gives the driver a minimal “handling fee”. I asked why not LBC or Western Union. She dismissed me saying “cge lang ah, mas mabilis sa Ceres!” True, you have to wait 24 hours for a regular courier, while Ceres delivers yours in 3 hours or so.
Lakwatsa in Kabankalan
Finding Gaisano Mall in Kabankalan is bliss. Years ago, my sister and I when spending vacation in Kabankalan suffered from mini ‘culture shock’ because the largest shopping store they have back then was the 2-level department store of Lopue’s which we can finish touring in 15 minutes flat. Everyday, my sister and I ask each other ‘san tayo pasyal’ and we both sigh in resignation ‘Lopue’s na naman’. There are smaller shops and specialty stores dotting the city’s commercial hub.
Undra or Ukay
Every Saturday, people go out for “undra”. The sidestreets in the market area are transformed into something like Baguio’s Session Road. Rows of used merchandise in boxes and sacks line the streets ukay-ukay style. And the items are really cheap, as low as P10. Instead of saying ‘ukay’ they say ‘undra’. As much as possible, go with a local. My uncle say if the vendors learn you are a ‘Tagala’ (Tagalog), they might raise the price of the goods.
Poso line the streets, built by the local government.
Hulo there, may I know your name? This man is a proof to river quarrying activities. Yup, those are sands in his little boat crossing a river that has taken many lives. Local folks believe there is a fairy (evil one I guess) guarding this river.
If you take the side streets which leads to residential areas, you will see old houses. My mom kept pointing the houses of the wealthy hacienderos (sugar landowners and millers). I won’t mention the surnames anymore, lol, for protection.
- An old house along Burgos Street
Here’s a little gossip (doncha just love gossip!). Did ya know…that some Ilonggos have a minor cold war with the Cebuanos and Negros Or people. My mom says during the Spanish era, the Ilonggos of Negros Occ are the wealthy ones compared to the Cebuanos. They call the Cebuanos ‘tagabundok’ or ‘mountain people’. See the regional discrimation here? Lol, my mom will kill me but have you noticed how Cebu is wealthier than Negros Occ now? The tables are turned. And the Spanish era who-is-wealthy, who-is-not mentality has not been forgotten and Negros Occ people are somehow still standoffish with the Cebuanos and Negros Or people. It’s like Ilocanos against the Kapampangans.
Your eyes will get tired looking at sugarcane fields instead of ricefields. Sugar industry takes priority in this province.
Other places of interest are the usual tourist spots like Mag-aso Falls and Cave, sigh which I didn’t get to visit due to Typhoon Frank. During my previous trips to Kabankalan, I was able to visit Balicaocao Highland Resort perched high up in the mountain.
Food
Bibingka
Yummy bibingka, P10 per pack.
Pensiang, affordable n yummy!
Until now I can’t figure out what’s the specialty of Kabankalan, but I guess Chicken Inasal extends to this part of the province. Try Pensiang Restaurant, it’s full house during mealtimes.
Try to buy some ginamos (bagoong) or shrimp paste also. You’ll have to pack it carefully though if you’re riding the plane, they don’t want anything that smell. It’s somehow different from the Tagalog’s bagoong. It’s less salty, more sticky and go well with any ulam. Quite addicting actually. They also have a vinegar, locally called ‘langgaw’ which has red pepper and ginger. What I do is mix ginamos and suka as a dip or mix them to my rice. Burp!
And of course, they have tuba, their sweet-tasting coconut wine.
For pasalubong, Bongbong’s is the most popular. I love the cheese tarts! They also have piaya, ube piaya, mango tart, pineapple tart, butterscoth cookies and other sweets. ’Matamis na bao’ is also a must-try.
Find more info here for Kabankalan.
5 Comments
August 18, 2008 at 6:58 pm
riz,
daya mo!!! gusto ko pa naman pumunta dyan!!! ang ganda….. gusto ko rin magsnorkeling , marami din daw magandang beaches sa dumaguete… daya mo!! hmp….. hehehe!!! pero ganda ng mga pics mo ah..
August 21, 2008 at 9:19 am
Glad you enjoyed Kab!
January 14, 2009 at 7:04 pm
“Spanish era, the Ilonggos of Negros Occ are the wealthy ones compared to the Cebuanos.”
This is interesting, historically it has basis – Ilonggos had a number of landed families that became extremely rich, but I’m not aware that it has created a rift – maybe the Ilonngos of Iloilo and Negros Occidental were envied, but that’s human nature, but this entrepreneural Filipinos were only beneficiary of a strong sugar industry.
April 7, 2009 at 3:00 pm
glad that u enjoy kab. hope u come ther & see more places there.
April 28, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Nice place. I hope I can visit there too. Have you done to Boracay? You should try it. For more info, visit http://www.boracayphilippines.com.ph