Grace M. Avanzado
Writer and photographer
I looked down from the window of the plane and took my first look at Dipolog City as we were about to land.
What stood out for me was the sight of so many rivers—spilling out into the open sea, like snakes being set free.
We stayed at the cozy Ariana Hotel, which is located amazingly close to the airport, you could just actually walk to and fro.
It is also where one can enjoy the delectable international menu from Chloe’s Cafe where we had some of our best meals in our whole visit.
Dipolog City is often called the Gateway to Western Mindanao but is actually more known to foodies like me as the home of the Montaño Spanish sardines so, of course, it was my first “pilgrimage site” and I was so amused that there were so many other products under that brand.
Then it was time to visit a cacao farm in nearby Katipunan, in the company of Philippine Cacao Industry Development Council national chairperson Armi Lopez-Garcia of Cebu-based brand Tablea. From seedlings with bar codes so as not to compromise quality, to using banana trees to shade the growing cacao trees, I absorbed so much information in such a short span of time from someone truly passionate about developing this industry.
