Capiz to showcase unrivaled gardens, the best seafood

Tita Giron

PARTICIPANTS of the fourth

national floriculture congress to be

held July 2-4 in Roxas City are in for

an exciting experience.

Davao had exotic fruits and orchids

in the previous floriculture congress,

and Cebu had its beach resorts and

chrysanthemum farms to boast of.

Baguio was memorable with its cool

temperature and flowering plants

from temperate countries.

But Roxas City has its rare pink

Aglaonema species and unrivaled

quaint gardens and nurseries in

natural settings. Many of these gardens are located at the foot

of mountain ranges and on the hills where springs and creeks

keep the plants lush and green.

Local gardeners are proud of their native pink Aglaonema and

other rare species from the surrounding mountains. There are

yellow Spathoglottis orchid, staghorns and ferns. Said to be

guarded by mountain people, species still abound in the

mountains of Roxas and other municipalities of Capiz.

We were told the rare Aglaonemas are currently drawing the

attention of plant collectors at the international horticulture fair

in Kunming, China. The pink Aglaonemas were donated by the

Roxas gardeners to deck the Philippine exhibit booth.

Farm tours are worth waiting for. And so are after-convention

trips to Boracay 2 ? hours way, or to Iloilo which is two hours

away on aircon shuttle vehicles.

Other places to visit: 18th-century churches; the biggest bell of

Asia in Sta. Monica Church in Pan-ay town; the city's unique

museum that was once a water-storage tank.

The big difference

What promises to make the big difference at the national

convention is the sidebar event called ''The Best of Capiz,'' in

which a seafood festival will be the main attraction. Roxas City

has long been considered the seafood capital of the Philippines.

It is only to be expected that seafood dishes will be the main

fare at the convention.

We can swear to the mouth-watering taste of Roxas City's

alimusan (a special variety of catfish) in coco milk and ginger,

cooked by Carmen Andrade at her Ysabel restaurant; fried

scallops in shell and breaded crablets of Edna Viterbo; Daday

Acevedo's king crabs bulging with roe; the ibos (suman) of

Neneng Urquiola; oysters and tahong prepared by Baby Borda.

All members of Capiz Multipurpose Cooperative, the lady

gardeners showed us how they were preparing for the national

horticulture event they are hosting for the Federation of

Cutflower and Ornamental Plant Growers of the Philippines.

''We hope to promote our seafood industry back to back with

our plant business,'' said Lily Ong, the biggest ornamental

grower in Panay. Her production areas are in the mountains: 7

has in Dao, 8 has in Panit-an.

Lily's outlet, the Sunshine Farm, is the showcase for beautiful

garden plants like angelwing begonias, gumamela hybrids,

champaca, kamuning and petunias.

''We're proud of how our plant business has developed. Until

1990, we used to buy plants from Arevalo, Iloilo. Now we

supply Iloilo and the whole of Panay with our cutflower and

ornamental plants.''

Lily added Capiz folks are proud of their bangus and prawns

which are widely cultured in the fishponds.

''We will also show our visitors what our vast fishing grounds

have to offer.'' She mentioned blue marlin, shrimps, seaweed,

crabs, eels, squid and tuna.

A big event

Top experts will conduct daily lectures at the GRF Resource

Center Convention Hall, while the daily exhibits and garden

show will be at the Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center, convention

coordinator Anne Leal told us.

With the support of the local and national government, this

promises to be a big event. The Department of Science and

Technology, the Los Ba?os science community, and the

Department of Agriculture are sending top experts.

Guests of honor expected are First Lady Loi Ejercito, Senator

and Ms Edgardo Angara, and, of course, Rep. Mar Roxas.

''Congressman Roxas has been supportive of all our efforts to

hold the garden and seafood convention,'' the lady gardeners

said.

The congressman sent us a letter to invite garden enthusiasts to

the floriculture event: ''The event will showcase the Philippines'

best and foster its cutflower and ornamental industry. It is our

hope that this annual congress will be the launching pad of the

country's floriculture industry in the international market.

''This event will also be a very good opportunity for you and

your readers to sample the warm hospitality of the Capize?os,

its beaches, and the best seafood in the land.''

He ended his note: ''And, I would like to assure you there will be

no aswangs to bother you.''

For more information on the floriculture congress, write to

Anne Leal at the Capiz Multipurpose Cooperative, Roxas City,

Capiz; or call Cherry Larracas in Makati City at 817-127 or

817-1273.