Showcasing the primary product the town is known for, the local government unit (LGU) organized Monday the “alimango” (crab) cooking contest at the municipal ground as part of its 73rd founding anniversary.
Twenty-seven barangays sent their representatives, who are known for their crab specialty recipes as one of the highlights of the Agri-Aqua Day event.
Miguela Lakapak of Barangay Matampay Bucana, who has long specialized in “spicy crabs with soda” recipe preparation, said she learned the dish from YouTube three years ago.
However, Lakapak admitted this was her first time joining a cooking competition.
Meanwhile, Lily Huiso, a daycare worker from Barangay San Isidro, is her barangay’s representative in crab cooking contests for several years.
This year, she cooked “buttered crabs with vegetables.”
Huiso said her daughter, who works on a cruise ship, taught her some secrets in making it special.
I am not putting any preservatives or MSG (monosodium glutamate) because it is not good for our body,” Huiso said.
No ‘alimango mountain’
Due to the pandemic, municipal agriculturist Felina Cuaresma said this is the third time in the history of Lala’s annual Alimango Festival that there will be no “alimango mountain” that residents and visitors usually expect.
Alimango mountain is a pileup arrangement of thousands of crabs that will be distributed to the visitors after the program.
“We were not able to prepare because we are not expecting the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) surge will lower down. But we have enough supply of crabs,” Cuaresma said.
Despite the absence of the anticipated “crab mountain,” Cuaresma said the LGU managed to organize other events like crab relay, marathon, and rodeo.
Lala is known for its mud crab products in Northern Mindanao, along with its neighboring town in Kapatagan, also in Lanao del Norte.
Stephen Balatero, fishery designate of the municipal agriculture office, said Lala currently maintains 100 hectares for crab fattening farms stretching to nine coastal barangays — Darumawang Bucana, Matampay Bucana, Darumawang Ilaya, Matampay Ilaya, Pacita, Tunaan, Kamalan, Gumagamot and Raw-an.
Balatero said, 8.40 tons of crabs are produced yearly in Lala for local markets and export.
Vice Mayor Cesar Yap Jr., said the LGU is helping workers in the crab farm who were greatly affected by the pandemic.
He said this year’s “subdued” celebration had to push through to cope with the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on workers and operators.
“The crab production during the pandemic continued, but there was a problem in marketing because of the lockdown and closure of many hotels and food industries. In effect, our farmers were selling it at a very low price and some even were giving it away,” Yap said.
Per the municipal agriculture office monitoring, the crab prices during the pandemic range from PHP200 pesos to PHP250 per kilo instead of PHP600 or PHP650 per kilo.
Balatero said it was only in December 2021 that the market operation went back to normal. (PNA)
