Tablas Island: Fishing Village Calunacon San Andres

The Fishing Village of Calunacon, San Andres

As we turn off the National Road to enter Barangay Calunacon, a new world emerges.  Peace and tranquility are apparent.  Coolness from the trees along with sea breezes offers welcome relief from the intense heat of the day.  Travelling along the village road, evidence of the life of the fishing village emeges.  Women are mending nets and attaching floats.  These nets are huge, stretching from the shore almost as far as the eye can see when the seine is being set.  There are different  gill net, some with very small mesh to catch anchovies, larger mesh  for larger fish. 

  Three times elected Barangay Counselor Cecelia  Genaca greets us.  She is a participant in our Marketing Workshops.  She enthusiastically brings out her products: different kinds of salt fish, and salt fish sauce.

Later we go down to her fish drying rack to examine the different kinds of fish sun drying.

As evening approaches, fishermen prepare to fish.  These boats called bancas are lightweight and stabilized by outriggers, seemingly easily pulled down to the water.  As well as fishing off the beach, some fish up the river where fresh water flows from the mountain into the sea.

The fishermen watch for schools of fish.  In past times, a horn (actually a big fish shell) was blown to tell the village that a school of fish was sighted and that the seine would be set.   When they see a school of fish, the net which is carefully prepared to allow it to be fed out in a long distance, then brought around in a circle to surround a school of fish.  Once in place, fishermen jump into the water with arms flailing about to scare the fish into the net.   Once the net surrounds the fish, it takes about one hour to bring the seine to shore where the big job of getting the fish out of the net for begins.  Many of the fish go to Odiongan to market.  Some are consumed fresh, others dried and some fermented to become the salted anchovy delicacy sought after by Philippinos the world over. 

Village life revolves around fishing.  Because fishermen fish into the night, leisurely activities take place during the day.  There is a village pool table.  Under the trees, inviting benches sheltered from the sun by a cover of palm fronds have been built.  Young and old alike gather.  Children delight in creative games.  

Late afternoon, the barbeque stand is setting up, charcoal barbeque style. Skewers have been prepared ahead and frozen. Chicken feet, pork, fish balls, hot dogs and intestine are threaded on bamboo skewers ready for the grill. Caramelized bananas are ready now, layered in waiting between banana leaves. This is soon to be a very busy spot.

A stand has been operating all afternoon selling the dessert that is such a treat on a hot day, Halo Halo (made of crushed ice topped with  ice cream, gelatin cubes and a scoop of specially prepared vegetable mix, purple in color).  The dessert is totally unique, very appealing on a hot day, nutritious and delicious. 

 What a great feeling of community where people pull together to work and enjoy life.  Maybe the spirit and closeness is intensified by the monsoon season and its ravages.   Another factor is that many husbands are working in the Middle East  and away for months or years  at a time. 

 Richer for the experience, we leave this barangay with feelings of respect and love.
Allan and Lydia Sorflaten