Bohol’s Dalareich ‘tableya’ is world’s best

‘Dalareich 100% Unsweetened Chocolate’ wins Gold in London’s Academy of Chocolate

Where to find the best chocolate? Of course, at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol!

Bohol's “Dalareich 100% Unsweetened Chocolate” of Dalareich Food Products (DFP) based in Tagbilaran City has won a Gold Award in a prestigious international London-based Academy of Chocolate Awards 2019.

Elsa Polot sells pure tableya. Photos Leo Udtohan

According to Dalareich Polot, the general manager of DFP, it is the first time that Philippines got the Gold Award since the international chocolate award started in 2015 on all the categories.

“My mom and I are so happy because we were able to go to college because of tableya," said Dalareich who helped the family business since 1994.

Her mother Elsa, owner of DFP, shared that there was no secret that her tableya won internationally with more than 1,500 entries representing producers from 46 nations, making it the most successful year in the history of the awards.

“It’s 100% pure unsweetened chocolate we called tableya,” she said.

It was first time for Dalareich to send an entry to the international chocolate award based in London and “Dalareich 100% Unsweetened Chocolate” got the Gold award under drinking chocolate together with Laguna-based Auro Chocolate.

Other Philippine companies such as Malagos Chocolate, Theo and Philo, also got silver and bronze awards from different categories.

The Academy of Chocolate was founded in 2005 by five of Britain’s leading chocolate professionals, united in the belief that eating fine chocolate is one of life’s great pleasures.

The Academy campaigns for better chocolate and to promote a greater awareness of the difference between fine chocolate and the mass-produced chocolate confectionery which most of us eat.

Dalareich grew up in a family that ran a business of making tableya since 1994. She accompanied her grandmother Tomasa in selling anchovies and tableya in the neighborhood.

Elsa, 54, inherited the small business when Tomasa passed away in 2000.

Elsa, then a street cleaner, and husband Ricardo Polot made tableya on the side to augment their income. But their sideline helped the couple send their five children to college --Irene, 33; Dalareich, 30; Renel, 27; Jessa, 24; and Angelah, 20.

Although a graduate of Computer Engineering, Dalareich helped her parents innovate their products and market it to local merchants.

Dalareich, 30, has been known as the “Chocolate Princess” in Bohol. She established the first and only Chocolate House in the province after studying in Belgium.

From her mother’s tableya, Dalareich launched her own chocolate line—“Ginto Luxury Chocolates”, which has already been showcased in international chocolate exhibits, along with other local brands.

“I want to make chocolates not only tableya on the island of Chocolate Hills in Bohol,” she said.

 To preserve the cacao farming in Bohol, Dalareich launched Adopt-a-Cacao tree advocacy campaign to encourage Boholanos to take care of the cacao trees that had been planted near their houses.

 “We believe that there are more than 10,000 historical cacao trees in each town across Bohol,” she said.

For her, she wants Bohol known not for the Chocolate Hills but also the home of Chocolates.

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.

Some favorite expressions (In Bohol, we don’t say...)

Wake-uppers:

Scene: Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol-Macuno, MDM, is the new Medical Center Chief II of Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH). She took her oath before Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial.  Leah Tirol-Magno (of Bohol’s Baking Mama), Macuno’s youngest sister shared on Facebook, “We are very proud of you Anang. Carry on the torch of righteousness and continue to share God's love to His people with this new responsibility He entrusted you.”

Scene: The Dalareich Food Products has won the first BPI Sinag Accelerate Challenge 2016. The program aims to empower up-and-coming enterprises with a social mission through an exclusive series of mentorship programs, said the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ social development arm, BPI Foundation. “God really works in mysterious ways,” said Dalareich Polot.

***

Last week, someone posted on Facebook a list of expressions of Boholanos (In Bohol, we don’t say) which has attracted millennials in the time it was posted and shared on the social media. 

Other Bisdaks who can relate of the expressions have started to make their own by simply changing the name of the province.  They say it is as a way of letting others know how they feel.

Bohol’s chocolate princess Dalareich Polot

 (3^rd from left, with her sister Irene and BPI 

Foundation staff) receives the award for the first. 

BPI Sinag Accelerat Challenge 2016. Contributed Photo

Here are some expressions that you might find interesting and amusing making daily conversations more colorful. Read on.

In Bohol, we don't say, "Ang gwapo niya!" Instead we say, "Sheeet kalami niya"

In Bohol we don't say, "Hi kumusta na?" Instead we say, "Buhi pa diay ka buanga ka? "

In Bohol, we don't say, "Awesome!" Instead we say, "Ataya ato gud?!"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Buti nga sayo" Instead we say, "Dah! Merese! Gabaan ang buang"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Weh? Di nga? Instead we say, "Pagsure ba kay magbiko tag Pink"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Dami mong pera Pare!" Instead we say, "Namayot napud ka gabii no?"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Saan kana?" Instead we say, "Piste oy! Dugay pa?"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Pasensya na po" Instead we say, "Strikto lagi ka sa personal oi"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Excuse me" Instead we say, "Padaplin daw bi"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Ulan na naman" Instead we say, "Managhan nasad ta ani"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Where's my pen?" Instead we say, "Animal ang nagkawat sa akong ballpen!

Mayrag mamatay karun dayun."

In Bohol, we don't say, "Tahimik mo naman" Instead we say, "Pakahoy-kahoy ang buang ohh"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Wag mokong idamay" Instead we say, "ay ko amunga ha kay wa raba ko galabot-labot"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Wow sexy" Instead we say, "Hubagang ate oy! Ka salad naba"

In Bohol, we don't say, "Girlfriend mo bro? Congrats!" Instead we say, "Lahi napud na pre?"

And...

Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol-Macuno, MDM, is the 

new Medical Center Chief II of Gov. Celestino Gallares 

Memorial Hospital (GCGMH). 

Contributed Photo/Leah Tirol-Magno

In Bohol, we don’t say, "Wow nice haircut or hair style." Instead we say, “Dagway sa hinampak ay,wala pa nimo gipadakup ang nag tupi nimo!”

In Bohol, we don’t say, "Nice suit. What's the occasion? Why so dressed up?" Instead we say... "Halaahh ka porma sa hinampak oh! Asa na punerarya nimo nakuha? Asang lubong bro?"

In Bohol, we don’t say, "Ampangit ng boses nya." Instead we say, "Pakantaha nag My Way!"

In Bohol, we don’t say, “Pasumbag kah." Instead we say, "Gusto kag mangehi ug taga bay!”

In Bohol, we don’t say, “I miss you guys.”  Instead we say, “Sum-ola ninyog dagway oi, hug ko beh! "

In Bohol, we don’t say, “Sinungaling ka!” Instead we say, “Estoryaheee!”

In Bohol, we don’t say, “May ubo ka pala?” Instead we say, “Iluwa na kay maka-upaw.”

In Bohol, we don't say.. "Susuntokin kita diyan pag hindi ka tumahimik!" Instead, we say "Daahh maypag pusilon.. Dah hilom lagi kang pisteha ka!"

In Bohol, we don’t say, "Ba't ka nakatingin, ano problema mo?" Instead we say, "Ayaw'g tutok diha buanga ka, lugit ng mata nimu run"

In Bohol, we don't say "Saan kana ngaun nakatira?" Instead we say, "Aha naman ka gibutang sa Ginoo oi!”

In Bohol, we don’t say, "Hi, it’s you again." Instead we say, “Naa nasad ang giatay ay."

in Bohol, we don’t say “Ang landi nito." Instead we say, “Hoy cholera pagtarong ha kay ma torjakan nya ka!”

We're proud Boholanos, aren't we? Kolerang lambay mo!  Ha! Ha! Ha!

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.