BATCHOY: THE PERFECT RAINY DAY FOOD

BATCHOY IS A PERFECT RAINY DAYS COMFORT FOOD, WOULD YOU AGREE? It's a stormy week again? Well, one thing that can cure our hunger on a rainy day and gives us a comforting feeling is one soup that really is satisfying to the stomach. BATCHOY or batsoy is a very popular FIlipino noodle soup cuisine that originated in the Visayas. And it is one perfect rainy day food.

21 resto's batchoy

It is usually composed of pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin, and round noodles. There are many origin stories about this delicious dish. The original and most popular variant, the La Paz Batchoy, traces its roots to the Iloilo City district of La Paz, in the Philippines. However, the origin of the La Paz Batchoy is unclear with several accounts claiming credit for the dish.

One restaurant that's filled to to brim especially during rainy days is Super Batchoy House. Super Batchoy House is located in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. They have branches spread all over the city. Their delicious Batchoy has been sold for many years and still has the consistent flavor that many are still hooked to eat even up to this day.

Meanwhile, a Shell gasoline station in Bacolod where its convenience store serves Special Batchoy with cheaper price. It's very tasty for its price. However, drinks are sold with the usual convenience store pricing which is usually higher compared in restaurant or eatery. Batchoy is a Filipino noodle soup of pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles. There are more restaurants that serve batchoy and these are Ted's, Deco, 21 restaurant in Bacolod, Nick's in Manapla, and even Shell convenience stores.

Different VARIANTS of BATCHOY:

ORDINARY or REGULAR BATCHOY - no egg and no offals or chicharon (sometimes smaller serving) SPECIAL BATCHOY - with egg, chicaron and offals (bigger serving) SUPER BATCHOY - with raw egg, offals, chicharon, bone marrow. usually served in bigger bowl

BACOLOD FILM FESTIVAL (WITH WINNERS LIST)

 
Ten local shorts filmmakers compete Bacolod Film Festival Boosts Local Creative Economy (BACOLOD FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS NIGHT RESULTS BELOW)

Filmmaking

The Government of Bacolod City finally made history by finally recognizing and celebrating emerging local filmmakers through a short film festival. The success of the Bacolod Film Festival (despite the stormy weather) did prove that Bacolod has rich creative talents that fits the film industry. It's great to note that boosting the creative economy is one of the projects of Mayor Albee Benitez and this endeavor is a big welcome and change for the City of Smiles. The awards ceremony was held on September 15 at SM Cinema 1 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. The jurors were Joey Javier Reyes, Joji Alonso, Philip Cheah, Law Fajardo and Wanggo Gallaga. Winners of the first ever Bacolod Film Festival are:

BEST PICTURE - Sa Pwesto ni Pistong BEST DIRECTOR - Vincent Joseph "VinJo" Entuna (Sa Pwesto ni Pistong)

BEST ACTOR - Dante Macam - Laragway sa Karon

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Rene Hinojales - Puli na, Diche Lesly

BEST SCREENPLAY- Vincent Joseph "VinJo" Entuna (Sa Pwesto ni Pistong)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Rosco Cofreros - Aninaw

BEST EDITING - Xavier Nojas and Fahleen Fang - Laragway sa Karon

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Margaret Kathryn-Baynosa Entuna - Chicken Inasal (Those Little Things)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - Poli Gonzales - Chicken Inasal (Those Little Things)

BEST MUSICAL SCORE - Khyle Zedrick Anasta - A Flower in a Day

BEST SOUND - Rolf Baynosa - Chicken Inasal (Those Little Things)

BEST MAKE- UP - Alvin Belesario - Glub

JURY'S PRIZE WINNER - Milton Dionzon, Reynaldo Amagun and Louis Dormido - Aninaw

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD - Laragway sa Karon

GET TO KNOW THE 10 Entries:

1. A FLOWER A DAY

Directed by Chelsea Tasic

Produced by Dulaab Productions

🏆Award (1): BEST MUSICAL SCORE - Khyle Zedrick Anasta

A young woman finds solace amid the faded charm of a quiet, rundown café. She returns to the café routinely, drawing the attention of an intrigued barista.

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2. ANINAW

Directed by Charlene Mead Tupas

Produced by Zone Studios

🏆Awards (2): BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Rosco Cofreros JURY'S PRIZE WINNER - Milton Dionzon, Reynaldo Amagun and Louis Dormido - Aninaw

In pursuit of finding the place where their deepest desires will come true, three friends embark on a journey against the backdrop of an evolving city and their failing memory.

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3. BLIND DATE

Directed by Victor Villanueva

Produced by Juan Carlo Miguel for JCM Films

Two savvy social media stars get set up, and they struggle to meet up at all.

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As home to the authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal cuisine and its annual festival (video above), one of the entries is a story based on this tasty dish but with a futuristic twist.

4. CHICKEN INASAL (Those Little Things )

Directed by Poli Gonzales and Massah Gonzales-Gamboa

Produced by Massah Gonzales-Gamboa and Georgia Elardo for Kwentista Produksyon

🏆Awards (3):

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Margaret Kathryn-Baynosa Entuna

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - Poli Gonzales BEST SOUND - Rolf Baynosa

Set in 2222 in the cyberpunk city of Bacolod, a teenager goes through her usual day with her father with no idea that the best surprise of her life was going to happen.

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5. GLUB

Directed by Zack Verzosa

Produced by Champorado Productions, Zol Films, Kantiaha Prod., Anggulo Community, and Playback Productions 🏆Award (1): BEST MAKE- UP - Alvin Belesario - Glub

An outcast who wants to have someone who understands him, meets a person who he thinks would be the one.

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6. LARAGWAY SA KARON

Directed by Pau Ortaliz Santos and Nina Aira Villanueva

Produced by Three Wheels Production in collaboration with Xouvenir Studios. 🏆Award (1):

BEST ACTOR - Dante Macam BEST EDITING -Xavier Nojas and Fahleen Fang

An old man aims to win a photography contest to solve his financial challenges. There, he meets a young and spirited photographer – unveiling an unexpected friendship full of colors.

The true story of the old Manokan Country (video above) inspired one of the entries in the Bacolod FIlm Festival

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7. MANOKAN COUNTRY

Directed by Banjo Hinolan

Produced by Banjo Hinolan Films

A determined restaurant owner in Bacolod City faces off against a ruthless real estate developer in a high-stakes Chicken Inasal cooking competition to save his family's eatery and preserve the heart of his community.

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8. PULI NA, DICHE LESLY

Directed by Willbryan Garcia

Produced by Salekula Dahlia Studios

🏆Award (1):

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Rene Hinojales

A bittersweet story of family ties and the things we do for love. A successful Filipino-Chinese artist drives home to her hometown of Bacolod for her father's heart surgery.

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9. SA PWESTO NI PISTONG (The Barber's Chair)

Directed by VinJo Entuna

Produced by Maragtas Film Productions 🏆Awards (3): BEST PICTURE BEST DIRECTOR - Vincent Joseph "VinJo" Entuna

BEST SCREENPLAY- Vincent Joseph "VinJo" Entuna

A humble barber navigates a tumultuous era while serving a diverse array of customers including a prominent haciendero and an idealistic nephew.

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10. THE MANSION

Directed by Alvin "Swoop" Diaz and Oscar Villanueva

Produced by T3 Studios

A videographer accidentally meets someone while doing his job, leading him to a rude awakening.

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From out of 33 entries screened for the Bacolod Film Festival, ten finalist made it. These entries are visions of Bacolod residents Chelsea Taisc, Charlene Mae Tupas, Juan Carlo Miguel Araullo, Georgia Mari Elardo, reginald Amador Zack Versoza, Mary Pauline Santos, Rodolfo "Banjo" Hinolan Jr. Willbryan Garcia, Vicent Hoset Entuna, and Oscar Villanueva. Filmmaking is a dynamic and intricate art form that demands creativity, resilience, and collaboration at every stage.

The grantees received 300,000 pesos each to fund and finish their films.

Trailers of their films were launched via the Bacolod Film Festival Facebook page on September 1. All 10 short films were screened on September 12-15, 2024 at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central and SM City Bacolod Cinemas.

Meanwhile, the official poster for the Bacolod Film Festival captured the essence of the festival's spirit. The iconic smiling eyes from the logo seamlessly morph into ten dynamic waves, each symbolizing the fresh and powerful visions of Bacolodnon filmmakers. These waves serve as a striking metaphor for the boundless creativity and visionary storytelling that these filmmakers will bring to Philippine cinema. Their collective energy, symbolized by these fluid forms, reflects an unstoppable force of artistic expression.