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| One of the participants in the Maliputo Festival Cookoff (Photo Credit: Provincial Information Office - Batangas) |
In celebration of its 62nd founding anniversary, the municipality of
San Nicolas in the province of Batangas staged its Maliputo Festival last August
9, 2017. It is usually interesting for any city or town in the province to hold
a celebration showcasing its finest products, and the town of San Nicolas is
indeed no exception with its famed Maliputo fish.
Based on data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR), Maliputo is a type of fish that were born in brackish waters within the
mouth of Pansipit Bay. Many of the hatched eggs grew within the Pansipit River
all the way to Taal Lake, while some live in Balayan Bay. Although this
information I learned make slight sense since I read it in Filipino, there are
a lot of reasons why any town in Batangas is keen on celebrating such a uniquely
different festival like the Maliputo Festival.
Anyway, residents and local tourists were able to enjoy not only the
festivities but also the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar town. Highlighting
the festival's itinerary is a cook off where participants are showcasing their
best dishes using Maliputo which is usually caught within the Taal Lake and throughout
the Pansipit River. With that in mind, all I can say based on what I've learned
from watching a bit of it on a daily morning show is that no town can become
progressive without something that makes them what they are.
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| Look at these dishes where the main ingredient is the Maliputo fish which is found in either the Pansipit River or the Taal Lake!! (Photo Credit: Provincial Information Office - Batangas) |
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| (Photo Credit: Provincial Information Office - Batangas) |
If you have been in Batangas and learned that you forgot something in
your August itinerary but it is too late for you to realize, then you should
have missed out on what is going on in the town of San Nicolas. Heck, what can
you expect from a fishing town that is rarely staging a festival? Well, those
who have been in that town should thank Mayor William Enriquez, Vice Mayor Peping
Sandoval and the town council for making the celebration possible.
