Ube jam & inspiring, soul-enriching stories

Anthony Ceniza, cultural worker and choreographer extraordinaire, enjoys the pristine waters of Anda Pearl Premier Resort in Anda town. Photo: Leo Udtohan

It’s Feb. 28, 2021.  Feel-good Sunday, last day of the month of February. Again, take time out from political sizzlers and negative things out there for more inspiring, spirit-lifting stories.

1.The starfish story (author a unknown, contributed by Anthony Ceniza, cultural worker and choreographer extraordinaire and now supervisor of Marilou Resort in Panglao).  

An old man walked across the beach until he came across a young boy throwing something into the breaking waves. Upon closer inspection, the old man could see that the boy was tossing stranded starfish from the sandy beach, back into the ocean.

“What are you doing, young man?” He asked. 

“If the starfish are still on the beach when the sun rises, they will die,” the boy answered.

“That is ridiculous. There are thousands of miles of beach and millions of starfish. It doesn’t matter how many you throw in; you can’t make a difference.”

“It matters to this one,” the boy said as he threw another starfish into the waves. “And it matters to this one.”

2.The seasons of life (author also not known, contributed by teacher Edison Gumapac of Manga National High School). 

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree’s life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.

Don’t judge a life by one difficult season. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

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The Pearl of Anda

Countless beaches are available throughout the Bohol province, so when the "The Doctor Is In" decided to hold its first out of town public health service last Saturday, they chose Anda. 

 "The Doctor Is In," the only phenomenal public health program hosted by Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan, was held in Anda Pearl Premier Resort.  

It’s a U-shaped cove with white sand and warm turquoise water. 

Situated in Virgen village, the Anda Pearl Primier Resort has 22 villas with a large swimming pool. 

The beach is rarely crowded, and popular activities here include kayaking and snorkeling. 

Thanks to Bohol 3rd district Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor and Mayor Christopher Tutor for the warm hospitality!

Note: More of Anda Pearl Premier Resort and Anda town in the next issue. 

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The yummiest Ubi jam 

Ube halaya, also known as ube jam (ubi in Bohol!), is a Filipino dessert made from boiled and mashed ubi (purple yam) , milk, and butter. 

Thanks to the 21st Ubi Festival which  commenced last Saturday, February 27. 

The Ubi Festival is celebrated annually in recognition of the ubi growers across the province since 2000. 

Aside from ubi products and other agri-commodities, ornamental and flowering plants were also sold at the venue.

Wannabe chef Jessa Mae Jala shows her favorite ube jam. Her parents bought purple yams during the 21st Ubi Festival. Photo: Leo Udtohan

Dr. Larry Pamugas, acting provincial agriculturist, said Boholano farmers have produced  7.2 million kilos of yam this season from 1,200 hectares. 

The Ubi Festival is also a venue for educational fora to increase farm production.

Pamugas also emphasized the importance and impact of growing and yielding Ubi as a livelihood of the Boholanos, especially in alleviating hunger amid the pandemic.

He said his office encouraged farmers to plant yam while ubi tubers were given to at least 400 farmers who are members of Bohol Ubi Growers Association for a "plant now, pay later." 

Farmer Guillermo Lupas brought 400 kilograms of ubi (yam) to the exhibition site to sell it. 

Lupas, 58, started planting yam for 30 years. 

He said it was not difficult to sell his yam since farmers like him have to bring it at the site where buyers could buy for P70-P90 per kilo. 

"Dakog ikatabang (It's a big help)," Lupas said. 

There are various ways to prepare ube jam dessert but this recipe is the simplest and easiest to follow.

Ube Jam (Purple Yam Jam)

*Ingredients: 

1 kilo uncooked purple yam

1 can condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

200 grams butter

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

*Procedures: 

Boil the purple yam until tender then mash or grate.

In a pot, melt butter then add the evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla extra. Stir constantly until well-combined.

Add the purple yam then stir until the texture of the mixture becomes really thick (about 15 to 20 minutes over low fire). You may also add a drop of food coloring (optional).

Transfer the mixture to a mold or any container and let the temperature cool down.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Top with a dollop of butter when serving (optional).

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