The Tale of Batil Patong and Its Super Powers

Almost every year, the City of Tuguegarao and its nearby towns win the hottest place in the Philippines contest with the heat soaring around low 40 degrees Celsius. But it should also be noted that this area of Cagayan Valley is a favorite vacation spot for weather disturbances, visited by powerful typhoons every year. A classic "sala sa init, sala sa lamig". Resilient as they are, Tuguegaraoans from this part of the globe have a hidden secret.

Believed to make them heat and rain proof, it is so available that you'll never miss it. No, it's not the tricycles, numbering in the millions (according to my ocular estimation, pero exag! Ang dami nila!) but their own unique pancit called Batil Patong. It must be true. The tricycle driver I talked to said so.

Named after the way eggs are prepared as an ingredient for this dish, "batil" means "to beat" (for the beaten egg white in pansit sauce that looks like an egg drop soup) and "patong" means "to put on top of" (for the poached egg and sahog placed on top of the dish). It's as if Tuguegaraoans are, in their own way, blending the rain (egg drop soup) and the heat (poached egg).

Batil Patong has 3 components: (1) the main pancit dish which is made of pancit miki (made fresh in Tuguegarao), ground cara beef, bean sprouts, carrots and green beans topped with poached egg, (2) the sabaw (egg drop soup) and (3) the sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, chilies, calamansi juice and lots of chopped shallots. Mix it all together and you'll have instant magical powers! (Yes! That's how tasty it is!)

Rose to prominence in the early 1970's, it is said that the current recipe of Batil-Patong was first tasted at Teyo's Eatery, a panciteria near the Central Public Market, before that, Tuguegaraoans cook their miki like saucy pancit canton.

I will not recommend a place where to avail yourself of this miracle in a plate because I had my share at the first panciteria I laid my eyes upon after getting off the trike (They say they all taste the same anyway and I was really hungry.), but ECL Panciteria located along the National Highway in Carig and Annafunan Panciteria in Annafunan East are two of the most notable. 

So next time you see on the news about how hot or rainy Tuguegarao is, just think of Pancit Batil Patong. It is the only reason why Tuguegaraoans can stand the harsh weather condition in Cagayan Valley. I believe it, the tricycle driver said so.