Regarding “si hoc tong”. Wikipedia says:
1. Vino Kulafu is the Philippine’s most popular Chinese wine, competing with other Vino de Chinos, such as Sioktong manufactured by Destileria Limtuaco and Viagro distilled by Tanduay Distillers. It is manufactured by Ginebra San Miguel, formerly La Tondeña Inc. It is made from 14 authentic Chinese botanical herbs.
2. It is named after a Pinoy [komiks]] jungle hero, Kulafu. On July 7, 1933, Francisco Reyes, a pioneer komiks creator, in collaboration with writer Pedrito Reyes, created the legend of Kulafu, who was modeled after Tarzan. Kulafu was serialized in the Liwayway from 1932-1941, and became so famous it developed into a household name. Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. purchased the rights to the “Kulafu” name and since then Vino Kulafu has sold steadily. It is considered the main elixir of peasants in the countrysides of Visayas and Mindanao.
From a related entry:
Sioktong was the brand name of the medicinal wine that was the flagship product for many generations of Destileria Limtuaco, a distillery that was founded by a Chinese immgrant named Lim Tua Co. Within two years after his arrival in 1850 Lim Tua Co concocted a secret recipe that he carried with him from AMoy. It was a concoction of bittersweet herbs that was in the family for five generations. It was first named Vino de Chino, then later Sioktong. It was distilled in 135 Gandara Street, Binondo for many years. It became a bestseller for its legendary qualities of imparting stamina in the same way that energy drinks are consumed now.
Sioktong has many popular qualities among the rural folk that consume it in prodigious amounts. A Pinoy komiks character by Rico Bello Omagap for example was named Susanang Siyoktong who was a toughie girl transformed into a beautiful girl by the alcoholic elixir she ingests.
My memory has not wholly failed me, and it’s identification with “Fighter Wine” is noted in this article, aptly named “How I Beat Alcoholism” authored by a man who narrowly escaped the clutches of strong spirits:
In Mindanao, I had the honor to be among the drunkards who guzzle all sorts of booze, like Tuba (a mild wine from coconut flowers), GSM blue, Tanduay is very popular, and the favorite medicinal wine, Fighter Wine, which is pretty much like the popular Sioktong. And of course, the ever popular strong-kicker, Red Horse.
We are a country of drunkards, that is a fact. In another fact, we had a President who was ousted partly because of his love for alcohol.
No mention of alcohol would be complete without mention of that favorite beverage, Marca Demonyo gin, which as its name implies translates to the Mark of Satan gin, though I believe even he should be careful of it. It’s label depicts Saint Michael in a death struggle with Lucifer; and a vintage bottle, suggestively shaped like a coffin is reproduced as proof of its distinguished lineage.
