Maguindanao town celebrates bountiful fresh fish harvest
TOURISM • 15:19 PM Mon Jan 30, 2017
1,497
By:
Ferdinandh Carbera
ARMM Tourism Sec. Bai Ayesha Dilangalen (2nd from left) and Mangudadatu Mayor Freddie Mangudadatu show treasure of Maguindanao. (photo courtesy of Bai Shalimar Candao's FB page)
MANGUDADATU,
Maguindanao – Where in Maguindanao or in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that fresh water fish, weighing between 2 kilos to 8
kilos, can be found?
It can be
found in this 4th class municipality, Mangudadatu town in
Maguindanao named after Pua Mangudadatu, father of Provincial Governor Esmael Toto
Mangudadatu.
On Sunday,
people here, led by Mayor Freddie Mangudadatu, celebrated the first ever Taruk
Festival, a celebration of thanksgiving for bountiful harvest of fresh fish.
In attendance
to join the celebration was Bai Ayesha Dilangalen, ARMM regional tourism
secretary.
Mayor
Mangudadatu said the celebration was also a thanksgiving and recognition of fishermen
and fisher folks who harvest Taruk fish in Lake Buluan and other tributaries
that end up in the Liguasan marshland.
January is
peak season for Taruk fish and people are celebrating it, Mayor Mangudadatu
said.
Also known as Taiwan
Fish, Taruk is considered as the most delicious and tasty fresh water fish
available.
Highlighted in
Sunday’s celebration was a longest Taruk grilled fish, cooking contest
featuring kinilaw, ginataan and escabeche.
The event ended up with a boodle fight for everyone.
Mayor Mangudadatu
said fishing in Buluan Lake is the people’s primary source of income and it was
just fitting to celebrate it.
sand//scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/16441357_10211790047574522_1460379687_n.jpg?oh=2fc2cfaec405e78bb027e971e89a0582andampoe=5890B4D7 (Photo by Moi Aljani)Sec.
Dilangalen said the tourism regional office is supporting the festival and
promote it as among the tourist events in the ARMM.
We will help Mangudadatu
town promote its Taruk fish not only locally but to other parts of the country
as well, Sec. Dilangalen said.
Mangudadatu is
a 4th class municipality in the province of Maguindanao and according to the
2015 census, it has a population of 25,046 people.
It was created
out of 8 barangays of Buluan, by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No.
204, which was subsequently ratified in a plebiscite held on December 30, 2006.
(Ferdinandh Cabrera)