TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Crop Festival of this barangay was first commemorated in 1980 and is being celebrated with more fanfare this year after two years of just simple commemoration due to the gathering restrictions caused by the pandemic.
For 42 years, the Crop Festival has been held in the barangay to commemorate the indigenous people’s first crop after their relocation from Old Tanglag, Lubuagan.
One of the most popular aspects is the “Kakanin” Cook Fest, which emphasizes the use of “ladek.” “Ladek,” shredded coconut scum resulting from the extraction of coconut oil, is one of the barangay’s key products they hope to market and develop further. The barangay even named one of their puroks after it, Purok Ladek.
According to Aurora Amilig, City Public Information Officer (CPIO), Mayor Darwin Estrañero’s thrust is to improve the city’s agricultural position in his second term, which includes the study and eventual propagation and planting of sturdier variety of coconut trees, particularly in the western region.
Punong Barangay Foster Dulawen assured he will work with the mayor to coordinate this initiative as he expressed gratitude to the mayor for the barangay’s improvement over the last three years, citing several road projects and the well-known 2-story multipurpose facility.
By Rio Dongcayan Bassong