By Ciarra Mae G. Imbang and Mary Angel Lou S. Tribiano
To fully showcase the countries they represented, participating colleges and universities prepared free food for their booth visitors, during the ASEAN Exhibit at Robinsons Mall, Jaro, Iloilo City.
West Visayas State University, representing Indonesia, prepared Indonesian delicacies such as chicken satay and pandan sponge.
Capiz State University, representing Malaysia, served kakanins such as aripahol or puto-lanson, cassava cake, and baye-baye. Aside from the kakanins, they also prepared native darag chicken, bamboo shoot, and lemongrass tea.
Iloilo Science and Technology University, representing Cambodia, gave away Palawan chips.
Central Philippine University, representing the Philippines, transported visitors to their childhood days as they offered classic pinoy snacks like Happy, Haw-haw, and Nips.
Aklan State University, representing Laos, gave out pasalubong knick-knacks such as biscocho, galletas, and ugoy-ugoy.
Aside from the colorful spectacles and lively performances, the visitors also enjoyed the savory delicacies of various Southeast Asian cultures that surely gave them a memorable yet well informed tour on ASEAN countries, without leaving the country.
The five-day exhibit was spearheaded by the Commission on Higher Education.