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Bounded on the West by the
ever-flowing Abra River and on the South with the vast China Sea, Santa's
natural resources include the fishes and varieties of crustaceans. These
delicacies are well-known all over the province and reaching far to the cities
and to several parts of the world. Aside from these, the green grapes produced
in some barangays are popularly sold in markets because of its distinctively
unique features and tastes.
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Ipon
It is the most distinct of all the species that fishermen catch in the waters of
Santa. It is what the place is famous for because it is the source of livelihood
to the residents of the western barangays of Rancho, Casiber, Calungboyan, Oribi,
Dammay, Bucalag, Tabucolan, Pasungol and Quezon. It is a very small fish at
about 1 inch in length and 1/4 inch in diameter. Caught by nets known as daklis,
ipon is a lunar fish because it comes out after counting ten days from full moon
in the months of September, October, November, December, January and February.
During its peak season, the volume of the catch goes up to tens of tons and are
sold to as far as Laoag City in the north, Baguio City in the highlands and
Pangasinan in the South. Because of its delicious taste, ipon is exported to the
Filipino communities in the United States specifically Hawaii where there is a
big number of migrants from Santa. It is cooked into paksiw (with vinegar and
salt), sinigang (boiled with water and tamarind or tomatoes) and adobo (with
olive oil and garlic). Ipon bagoong is very famous because of its succulent
taste and if dried, is excellent dried fish. It can be eaten raw (kilawen) with
onions, vinegar and ginger. |
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Grapes
The grapes are green and relatively smaller that the well-known California
seedless variety. But its taste is sweet and in known to be a good source of
vitamin C. the vines are grown in backyards and in small farms in the barangays
of Mabilbila Sur, Mabilbila Norte, Manueva and Namalangan. It is harvested
twice: during summer and Christmas. These grapes are processed into wines but
with the high demands and lack of aging materials, the fruits are sold raw to
nearby provinces and cities including the Metro Manila. It is sold cheap at an
average of P30/kilo. |
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Crabs
"Arimbukeng" in local parlance is being caught in the rivers of Santa by nets.
It is not significantly abundant but rather a specie that gets scarcer as the
years go on due to indiscriminate catching. However, in occasions like fiestas,
the tables are still adorned with this delicacy since its taste is definitely
better than crabs caught in other areas. |
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Oysters
Fresh and clean oysters are grown in the running waters of Abra river between
Rancho, Santa and Puro Caoayan. Oysters are eaten raw with tomatoes or cooked in
adobo. It is sold by the glass. It usually abounds during summertime and a good
source of income to the marginalized fisherfolks. Local divers get these shells
which cling to stones under the riverbeds at about 1 to 1 1/2 meter deep. After
gathering a substantial volume of these stones, these shells are brought up in
the rafts where they take out the oysters using indigenous nails. The oysters
are then put inside clean jars then sold to the different barangays and
neighboring towns by the wives of these fishermen. They sometimes just walk
carrying the jars over their heads and shout in the streets signaling the
product they are selling. |
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Tuna,
Lapu-Lapu & Other Seafoods
Tuna is abundant during summertime. Big tunas caught in the lambaklad range from
10 to 30 kilos. Small time fishermen catch the smaller varieties of 1/2 kilo per
piece. It can be a good sashimi or delicious inihaw. The most delicious part is
the belly. Lapu-lapu is also caught in Santa waters. Marine delicacies are
definitely the among the blessings of nature to this municipality. |
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