25/08/2023
WHY TAHONG?
Tahong held a significant place in my upbringing. In my childhood, my grandfather and uncles were all fishermen and "mananahong," the term for those skilled in harvesting these delectable green mussels. Even at a tender age, we contributed by selling these tahongs in the market.
As I advanced to High School, I eagerly joined them during weekends to dive into the ocean and gather tahong. We delicately detached them from ropes and bamboos under the sea, later transporting them to the fish port. Here, the "maniniktik" or mussel cleaners meticulously prepared them for sale.
TIKTIKAN NA!
A group of people would immerse themselves in mountains of tahong, dropped off by harvesters at the fish port, ready to clean. Among them were individuals of all ages, as long as they could cut and scrape barnacles.
I, too, partook as a tahong cleaner to earn extra income. It was a painstaking process, meticulously attending to each piece of green mussel, scraping off barnacles or "taliptip," and trimming excess hair. Each cleaner diligently donned utility gloves, using large kitchen scissors or knives to ensure safety as they worked.
In the past (2005 - 2007), a maniniktik would earn 2 pesos for every gallon (about 2 kilos) of tahong cleaned. A single individual could earn roughly 100-150 pesos for a full day's effort. All of this labor aimed at ensuring customers received clean, fresh tahong, ready to be boiled, steamed, or baked to perfection.
Were you captivated by the extraordinary efforts of these mananahongs and maniniktiks, all for the sake of offering you exquisite tahong?
We anticipate the support of our valued consumers, as our actions stem from a profound purpose. With your continuous encouragement, our aspiration is to eventually give back to the Tahungan community, often hailing from the most disadvantaged regions of our nation.
ORDER NOW AND LET'S START CHANGING LIVES!
Send us a message for your orders! Or call Tobi π+63 905 448 0874