This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 2, February 12-18, 2006
Bila Fruit
Wines: Beyond the Boundaries The production of homemade
fruit wines has become a new industry for the people of Bila, Bauko, Mt.
Province nowadays. Their participation in the national trade fair held last
summer allowed the Ibila wine producers to penetrate the national market. BY FLORENCE BATAWANG The production of homemade fruit wines has
become a new industry for the people of Bila, Bauko, Mt. Province (394 km. north
of Manila). They used to be known for their quality clay pots, which the
neighboring provinces of Ilocos, Isabela and Benguet once recognized as the
area’s pride. Barangay Bila pioneered the mass production
of fruit wines. However, it is only now that it has become popular nationally
and other municipalities of Mt. Province have started venturing into it. Fruit winemaking was introduced in Bila in
the late 1990s. Mila Dalasen pioneered the production in the village, and cherry
wine was her first product. According to stories, Dalasen learned cherry
winemaking from a couple in Otucan, Bila’s neighboring village. When she started
it, her neighbors followed suit. To date, there is a winemaking association in
the village with 52 members. They have made innovations in winemaking by
using other fruits like guavas, lemons, pineapples, bugnay, strawberries,
gingers, and grapes. All fruits are readily available in their backyards, except
for strawberries which are bought from La Trinidad, Benguet. These fruit wines are additional to the
traditional tapey (rice wine) that the Ibila (Bila settlers)
usually produce. Like the tapey, fruit wines were first made for domestic
consumption and as tokens for visitors. The visitors’ appreciation of their
wines encouraged them to commercially produce it. Cion Ayeo, a winemaker, said that for a good
wine to be produced, fermentation should take five to six months. According to Wine Processors Association
President Maureen Lumabas, it was in the 2000s when winemaking boomed. They
gained the support of a nun, Sr. Shirley Agoo. She was also a wine producer;
thus, she conducted various seminars for the Ibila. Packaging, which includes labeling and
sealing their wine bottles, has been an important factor in selling the Bila
fruit wines. At first, they used recycled bottles of commercially branded wines.
Today, most of their products are now in longneck bottles with appealing labels
and seals. Competition in the market urged the
producers to opt for a more presentable wine packaging, compared to their
once-cheap labels. Delia Napat-a, vice president of the
association, recently organized the wine producers to get their labels, tags and
seals in bulk orders from the printing press. However, she refused to disclose
figures. The wine producers recently joined the
Lang-ay Festival of Mt. Province, a festival that showcases the area’s wine
products. They also participated in the Adivay festival of Benguet. Their participation in the national trade
fair held last summer allowed the Ibila wine producers to make it to the
national market. Bulk orders from Manila started to come. They look forward to
entering the Manila market again in March 2006. "The demand for (our) wine is really
increasing," Lumabas said. However, she said that though the demand is high,
they could not provide enough supply. Some producers lack capital for equipment,
materials and ingredients. Some are busy with their full-time jobs. A few of
them are farmers, teachers, and employees of some companies. To date, prices range from P80-P150
($1.55–2.91 at $1:P51.48) a bottle, or P1,000-P1,200 ($19.32-23.31) a case.
Today, not only Bila residents are into the
fruit wine venture. Mt. Province towns like Tadian, Sagada, Sadanga, among
others are also into fruit wine production. However, Lumabas says that despite the fame
and glory their fruit wines are fast gaining, the Ibila do not forget
their “tapey as the original and authentic Bila wine.” Nordis/Posted
by Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
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Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat