BAGUIO CITY — You probably know someone from this city who has a relative older than anyone you ever met. Do you know what their secret is to longer life?

Nothing too special, really. They just enjoy going to parties to eat and chill with the community — in a very native, traditional way, that is.

On Thursday, Pine City residents gathered at the Ibaloy Heritage Garden at Burnham Park to commemorate the 8th Ibaloy Day. But apart from the festivities, the event became an opportunity for elders to showcase their tradition, including their rituals and culinary secrets.

• LOOK: Baguio's Ibaloi Day keeps tradition alive

Leopoldo Lamsis, the president of Onjon Ni Ivadoi, emphasized that the Ibaloy Day is also a celebration of the continuity of the tribe’s culture and genealogy.

“Ito ang mga kaugalian noon. That's why we're here to revive so that the younger generations can continue. 'Yong mga rituals, these are what bind us together,” he told ABS-CBN News.

According to Lamsis, Ibaloys have always been fond of festivities — as proven by their rich tradition of dances, songs and cuisine.

On this day, a total of 11 pigs were slaughtered to feed the different Ibaloy communities present in the celebration.

Per tradition, the pigs will undergo “uwik,” a Cordilleran butchering style performed by stabbing the animal with a pointed stick in an angle that will hit it right in the heart, giving it a quick and supposedly less painful death. The “mambunong” (community leader) will then take the animal liver and use it to read the collective destiny of the community.

The carcass will go through the skilled hands of young butchers who will cut them according to the dishes they’re preparing. A typical Ibaloy celebration features three dishes — watwat, pinuneg, and pising. And, of course, large jars of tapuy or rice wine.

The most popular among the three is the watwat, prepared by boiling chunks of meat in tap water. It is served hot with nothing more than rock salt as condiment. Pinuneg, on the other hand, is the Ibaloi version of blood sausage, and a must-have for all kinds of Ibaloy festivities.

Pising, meanwhile, is the Ibaloy version of the Ilokano dish “dinengdeng.” But unlike this very popular Ilocos specialty, pising is made with nothing but gabi leaves and stalks.

"These are indigenous food. We do not use any other condiments, just salt and water. Kaya nga maraming matatandang Ibaloy, because we don't have to use other ingredients except salt and water," Lamsin said.

Beyond these healthy secrets, Lamsis added the spirit of helpfulness and cooperation remains very much alive in Ibaloi communities. He said they no longer have to hire people to help in preparing the food because anyone who hears the shrieks of pigs and sees the smoke is welcome to join the community.

“Waray asok, waray kikan,” as they say. (If there is smoke, there is a feast.)

In return, the guests help in cooking the dishes and performing the rituals, eliminating the need to hire other people to do the work — a win-win situation for both parties. And while big social gatherings can be really stressful for some, most Ibalois believe that these are, in fact, the secret to a long life.