Now on its 11th year
TACLOBAN CITY – The 11th Oktubafest organized by the An Waray party-list will be stage as part of this year’s 75th Leyte Gulf Landings commemoration activities.
The event will be held on October 18, two days before the annual historical event, at the Leyte Academic Center to give people in the region, especially those who are in the coconut industry and coconut wine production, a venue of their produce.
Oktubafest, which is the local version of German beer fiesta known as the “Octoberfest”, is an annual event mainly organized by the An Waray party-list group, showcases tuba or coconut wine, a popular local wine in the region that comes from the sap of coconut palm.
“Bearing the theme One Eastern Visayas, the festival aims to uplift the tuba industry and tuba wine enthusiasm so that it continually receives its well-deserved national accolades,” the An Waray Party-list said in a statement.
Highlighting the event are various competitions like the Kawit painting contest which is an on-the-spot and must illustrate, interpret and emphasize the Oktubafest and commemoration of the 75th Leyte Gulf Landings.
Winners of this competition will receive P5,000 for the first prize, P3,000 for the second prize and P2,000 for the third prize.
A Siday contest, where contestants must compose an original free-verse or rhyme poem with the theme “Tuba ngan mga Hugot ha Gugma”, written in Waray-Waray, Bisaya or Filipino in a maximum of three minutes to deliver the contest piece, will also be held during the occasion.
Winners of the competition will also receive P5,000 for the first prize, P3,000 for the second prize and 2,000 for the third prize.
The Tuba cook-off challenge that is highlighting tuba as main ingredients of the dish will also be held with the competition divided into two categories- professional and the amateur.
For the professional category, competitors are Filchai, Jo’s Milagrina,Ocho, Pedro, Pugon, Roadside, Rosario’s Sophia’s Way, LGU Tabontabon, Sean’s BBQ Pit, Ron’s Grilled tuna and Sashimi, Secrete Recipe, Steve’s corner griddle and sizzle
In the amateur competitors includes students from the Leyte Normal University, JE Mondejar, Western Leyte College, Samar State University, ACLC College Tacloban, ACLC College Ormoc, ABE and STI.
Winners of the competition will receive P20,000 for first prize;P15,000 for second prize; and P10,000 for third prize.
For the categories of best ‘bahal’ and the best ‘bahalina’ contest, this is open to the identified ‘mananguete’ or tuba producers endorsed by the local government unit.
Winners in these categories will be receiving P20, 000 for the individual winner with P1.5 million worth of project for the winning LGU for the first prize while second place winner will receive P15,000 and P10,000 for the third place.
Oktubafest was first launched in 2008, and is a brainchild of An Waray party-list Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel as part of the continuing efforts to promote the coconut industry in Eastern Visayas.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
