Argao, a charming coastal town surrounded by the endlessly choppy yet turquoise waters of Cebu Strait, might not be on the radar for many travelers journeying to the southern reaches of Cebu. Upon a deeper exploration however, and a few days immersed in the local scene, one will surely uncover a treasure trove of insights, especially after combing the municipality's trio of cherished traditions that all start with the letter "T": Tela (hablon cloth), torta (sponge cake), and tsokolate.

The 18th-Century Church of Argao

Long before the movie "That Thing Called Tadhana" influenced many from the younger generation to see Baguio City as a destination for broken-hearted people, the City of Pines has attracted a diverse range of individuals from various backgrounds for a multitude of purposes. For artists, the cool atmosphere of this mountaintop town fostered creativity, leading to a flourishing artist community over the years, which resulted in the creation of the Baguio Arts Guild, a prominent organization of artists founded by National Artists Kidlat Tahimik and Benedicto Cabrera aka BenCab, along with the late Santi Bose in 1987.

Woven baskets by Rovilyn Mayat-an

Pardon me for initially thinking when I first heard the phrase “Slow Food” that it was the Ayurvedic way of consuming food literally in a slow and calm manner. I have heard the term "Slow Food" numerous times since I first encountered it. While it shares similarities with the Ayurvedic approach, emphasizing a healthier approach to food consumption that maximizes the benefits of natural ingredients, it also means something else, a movement where at its heart, is the advancement of local foods, traditional gastronomy and organic food production.

Terra Madre Visayas is held in Bacolod City for the 2nd time