From Sour to Salty: Paombong’s declining space for the vinegar craft

by Angeline Domingo, Princess Anne Alvaran, & Michelle dela Cruz | December 21, 2024

[embed]

A cluster of nipa palm trees. Photo by Angeline Domingo.

Nestled in the Municipality of Paombong from the province of Bulacan are orderly rows of nipa palm, best called sasahan. Stretching as far as the eye can see, it stood firm, symbolizing the town’s glory and legacy, a beacon of the townspeople’s livelihood.

Sasahan has been synonymous with the town’s identity, providing them with the raw materials for their famous product, sukang Paombong, thus earning the dub ‘Vinegar Capital of the Philippines.’ In fact, Paombong’s name is derived from the craft itself, bumbong, or the bamboo vessel they use to harvest nipa sap — the main ingredient in vinegar-making.

Millenial Bukid Girl’s (Princess Anne Marcos) authentic Paombong vinegar. Photo courtesy of Sikad by MBG on Facebook.

However, a myriad of these nipa palms merely became a clever disguise, hiding behind those rows of sasa are fishponds carefully tucked in the middle of the town’s crowning glory. This ‘disguise’ posed a threat to the town’s identity. More sasahan are being converted into fishponds — a shift deemed by locals as a potentially more lucrative livelihood. With fewer lands designated to sasahan, it puts the vinegar production at stake as less raw materials equate to the decline in vinegar products.

In 2016, a total of 282.57 hectares of land consisted of nipa farms. 3,557.63 hectares on the other hand were dedicated to aquaculture — a data evident enough that fisheries had begun taking over as the town’s main livelihood source.

A donut chart to visualize the percentages of hectares allocated to nipa farms, aquaculture farms, and other land purposes of the municipality of Paombong. The data used was recorded in 2016. Infographics by Angeline Domingo.

However, recent recorded data displayed a huge decline in nipa palm areas. The local government only recorded a total of 10 hectares, while fishponds or aquaculture farms have expanded up to 3,806.39 hectares.

A donut chart based on recent recorded data. (around 2018 to 2020 according to Paombong Municipal Planning and Development Office) Infographics by Angeline Domingo.

A close-up view of the donut chart based on recent data, displaying the drastic decline in the allocation of nipa farm lands.

To better picture how the allocated areas for nipa palm lands plummeted down, here’s a rather unconventional way to visualize its decline.

The same recent data ‘visualized’ through the land areas and quantities of football fields. Data visualization by Angeline Domingo.

That meant the data recorded in 2016 would equate to a total of 214 football fields dedicated to nipa farms. In comparison with the recent data, in a presumed span of 4 to 5 years, the municipality lost about 200 football fields worth of nipa palm areas.

At the same time, there is an observed increase in hectares of aquaculture lands. About 249.39 hectares have been added to the area according to the latest data. In all likelihood, the hectares lost from sasahan areas have been converted into fishponds.

“Base dun sa bagong record, halos sampung hektarya na lang yung natitirang sasahan,” Architect Melchor Robles the Municipal Planning and Development Officer confirmed.

Despite an ordinance being passed to limit the conversion of sasahan into fishponds the decline continues as the local government lacks the people who monitor it.

“Since mas malaki ang kita pag naging fishpond, hindi na namo-monitor ng munisipyo o barangay ‘yung kaganapan dun sa may mga sasahan, kaya naman sila-sila naiko-convert nila yung sasahan, yung pinakagitna nung bukid yung ang ginagawa nilang palaisdaan at yung mga paligid yun na lang yung sasahan,” Robles added.

A snippet of Paombong’s ‘outdated’ ordinance on prohibiting the conversion of sasahan into fishponds/fisheries (2009). From Paombong Municipal Planning and Development Office.

According to the land use policy framework of the municipality, nipa and mangroves are under strict protection in compliance with national policies. Furthermore, conversion could harm the ecosystem is prohibited as well as activities that threaten their conservation. Only sustainable uses have been permitted.

“Hopefully magkaron ng ngipin talaga yung [ordinansa] para masawata,” Robles stated.

Going even further back, in 2009 Paombong had about 899.92 hectares of land that were allocated for a variety of fruit bearing trees and agricultural crops including sasahan, that is approximately 1,286 football fields.

Paombong in the early 1950s, before it was introduced to traditional aquaculture, nipa lands covered more than 60% of the coastal swamplands of the town.

With the official land area of the municipality is 4,652 hectares based on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources — Land Management Bureau, that accounts up to 2,791.2 hectares — that is about 2,702 football fields more than the allocated nipa farm lands in 2009, half a century later.

To better project the data, here is one way to digest how much of a land area they had dedicated to nipa lands in 1950s.

Data visualization indicating that the 60% coverage of nipa farms or 2,791.2 hectares from 1950s Paombong is larger than the current and total land area of Guiguinto by 41.2 hectares. Data visualization by Angeline Domingo.

That meant that the total land area of nipa lands in Paombong combined during the 1950s is more than the size of the smallest municipality in Bulacan province.

The agricultural sector of Paombong had consistently recorded to be its major contributor in the growth of its local economy. Apparently, because more than 75% of its landmass is devoted to aquaculture production, fishing is considered to be the major source of livelihood for many communities — superseding what once was a ‘sour’ one, a livelihood off the renowned sukang Paombong.

Indeed, sukang Paombong faces an uncertain future with the rise of profit-driven decisions, higher income, and faster returns. Yet, the citizens of the town remain steadfast that there is still a future for their town’s legacy.

Through the efforts of stakeholders and local advocates, the craft of vinegar making can make progress. By finding ways to value both aquaculture and traditional crafts, Paombong can ensure that they can blend the right recipe that will preserve their pride and legacy.