Pototan villagers take the rice wine challenge
Miralyn Penaso holds a bottle
of rice wine
*Out of 12 kilos of rice, they are able to produce 60 bottles of rice wine for the consumption of the villagers. Each bottle costs P150, thus they earn P9,000 a month
WHEN Mayor Pablo Perez of Pototan looked for an area that will take on the challenge of producing rice wine as part of the One Town One Product (OTOP) efforts of the government, the villagers of Barangay Paho accepted it.
So, in November 29 and 30, 2005, a pilot training on rice wine making was conducted. Then, with a start-up capital of P10,000 from the village officials, the Rural Improvement Club manufactured rice wine in three varieties --- muscovado, refined white and washed sugar.
The muscovado-based rice wine is ideal for women, while the two are for men because of their strong taste.
According to Miralyn Penaso, coordinator of the Department of Agriculture's Home Resource Management, some of the products made it to the United States and "they said it tasted like their California wine."
The Philippine Rice Institute (Philrice) also validated its taste, compared it to their 'tapuy' and approved it.
Penaso admitted that this is a small-scale livelihood project because of the lack of funds. "We really need money to produce more. We also have a problem in bottling," she said. She revealed that they make use of the Matador Brandy bottles that are being collected from the villagers' homes.
Out of 12 kilos of rice, they are able to produce 60 bottles of rice wine for the consumption of the villagers. The other raw materials include tap water and yeast. Each bottle costs P150, thus they earn P9,000 a month.
"I am thankful that our effort is gaining attention after the products were featured in the Tumandok Festival and in the Tourism Week held at Robinsons Place Iloilo last year.
They are also given by Mayor Perez as gifts, thereby promoting the product outside of the municipality.
At present, this project employs 25 persons.
THE CLUB
According to Penaso, RIC is a women's organization technically assisted by the Farm Home Resource Management Coordinator under the Agriculture Office of the Local Government Unit.
It's a voluntary village-based organization composed of rural women with varied interests and capabilities and it is mobilized for socio-economic projects. It is also a group that serves as a channel for developing women's leadership and potentials towards home and community improvement.
"The RIC also provides direction to small farming communities so that they can move from their current subsistence state to one wherein they undertake and sustain profitable enterprise on their own," Penaso said.
OTHER RICE PRODUCTS
Being the rice granary of the Province of Iloilo, Pototan also encourages training in making other products using rice.
Thus, Philrice gave a demonstration on how to make rice pulvoron, rice brownies,rice butterscotch, puto pao, chiffon cake and buche. Those who attended the five-day seminar were bakers, bakeshops and home economic teacher.
Penaso said that the officials of Barangay Paho hope to buy better equipment in order to produce finely ground rice. This equipment costs P120,000.
She hopes that with more support on these rice-based projects, the village will be able to produce more, thereby aiding the development not only of their area but Pototan as well.