Bukidnon families preserve biko tradition despite economic challenges

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Generations-old food preparations continue to define All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day observances across Bukidnon, with families maintaining traditional recipes despite mounting economic pressures.

In Barangay Batangan and other communities throughout the province, residents dedicate considerable time to preparing native delicacies before making their annual cemetery pilgrimages. The sticky rice cake known as biko—crafted from glutinous rice, fresh coconut milk, and brown sugar—remains a centerpiece of these observances, passed down through families as an essential element of the holiday season.

For 55-year-old Mario and others like him, the preparation of biko represents more than a culinary exercise. The labor-intensive process of grinding ingredients and cooking traditional sweets serves as a cultural anchor, connecting present generations to ancestral practices and values.

These food traditions endure as expressions of Filipino identity and spiritual devotion during the November holidays, sustaining customs that have persisted across decades despite changing economic circumstances in provincial communities throughout Mindanao.