Torta de Argao: An emerging industry

Known as one of the most historical municipalities in the province of Cebu, Argao’s tourism is boosted by its rich cultural heritage; but aside from this, the town is also gaining popularity because of its traditional recipe of a rice cake familiarly known as “torta” which has become another emerging livelihood opportunity for its local entrepreneurs.

Torta de Argao is made of four components which include traditional ingredients such as pork lard, egg yolk, and fresh tuba utilized as yeast and is cooked in a clay oven. This traditional process of cooking separates Torta de Argao from other tortas in the country, said Argao’s Tourism Officer Alex K. Gonzales in an interview.

Gonzales said that every family in Argao has different versions of the torta recipe but most utilizes the same ingredients which make tortas from Argao the best.

Before, torta is just served and cooked in special occasions but these days, Gonzales said that the delicacy has become an emerging industry in Argao especially now that it has been considered as the primary product of the town under the government’s one-town-one-product (OTOP) program initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry.

“Torta making is a fast growing business in Argao,” said Gonzales and added that so far, there are already four commercially-based companies who makes torta de Argao under acceptable standards using the four basic components of traditional cooking daily.

But aside from these four commercial torta makers, there are hundreds of Argao-anons who still makes torta for small orders in rare occasions, said Gonzales.

However, in terms of demand Gonzales said that torta is still catered mostly for domestic market which covers up 90% including balikbayans, OFW going back abroad and local travelers to and from the South.

“Our practices are not yet acceptable based on international standards. We are also looking at extending our products’ shelf life and we hope DTI can help us with this concern,” said Gonzales.

He added that so far, DTI has helped torta manufacturers in Argao to market their products and came up with financial scheme to help small producers.

Yearly, Argao conducts a torta tasting contest and because of the popularity of Argao’s torta, their other delicacy such as tsokolate (hot chocolate made from fine cocoa) and broas has also become popular.

Aside from torta, Gonzales said that they are also looking at other areas and products they can promote in Argao such as bahalina (an aged tuba beverage made from coconut juice), suka or coconut vinegar and hablon, a traditional loom weaving industry in Argao.

They are also looking at better and newer ways of packaging the bahalina so that it can be marketable and so far they are thinking of putting the beverages on glass bottles or jars to make it more presentable. 

Argao is located exactly between Cebu City and the southern tip of the island. It is approximately 26 kilometers from the city of Carcar, and towns of Alcoy, and Lo-on which is across the Bohol Strait. It is bounded in the west by Badian, Alcantara, Ronda, and Dumanjug and in the north by Sibonga; in the east by the Bohol Strait; and in the south by Dalaguete. The town has been founded in 1608 and this year, it will be celebrating its 400th year founding anniversary. – Rhia de Pablo