Of Kapeng Barako, Balisong, At Ano pa Ga?!

     Taal Volcano and the lake that devotedly embraces its island expanse has always been the embodiment of Batangas.  Mention Batangas, and Taal is almost always the image that comes to mind.  But beyond the celebrated land and water formations are a hodgepodge of reasons why Batangas and being Batangueño are bywords, not only in our strong republic, but beyond its shores as well.

     Batangas is also synonymous with its celebrated fan knife, the revered balisong.  Its production is a thriving industry for it’s a sought after souvenir for tourists, and a common handy “self-defense” weapon particularly for the common people.  The balisong, especially the “bente nwebe” (29) or the 29 cm.-long version of the knife, is a celebrity in its own right, with a long and illustrious career in the local film industry as a favored weapon of action stars.  And thanks to the balisong, Batangueños are generally respected, even feared on the extreme, because it is usually assumed that everyone from Batangas carries one.  Of course, it is not to take away anything from Batangueños’ natural courage and valor; it simply adds to the mystic of being one, driven by a captivating urban legend. 

     Then there is the highly recognized Kapeng Barako.  It rivals Taal and balisong for being the no.1 household vocabulary for anything identified with Batangas.  A strong brew, which would surely rouse the most sleepy and lethargic of senses complete with an incredibly enticing aroma, it established the province in culinary and economic circles since Spain’s reign.  In fact, Batangas was the undisputed Coffee Capital during the colonial period, with the Philippines ranking as the 4th largest coffee-producing country in the world, and even, as accounts held, the world’s sole supplier from 1886 until 1888.  With a vast expanse of its land area devoted to coffee production, Lipa was catapulted as among the wealthiest towns in the country, earning the title “Villa de Lipa” from the Queen Regent, Maria Cristina of Spain, on October 21, 1887, during a time when the term “Villa” was solely reserved for society’s affluent upper class.  Sadly, “coffee rust,” a deadly fungal disease that wiped out plantations in Java, Europe, and South America, hit the country’s coffee farms in 1889.  In 3 years time, production grounded down to a halt, including Batangas’ fabled coffee estates.  Today, aggressive campaigns are being undertaken to revive the province’s coffee industry.  But the bright side to this blight tale is Kapeng Barako was, is and shall always be an endeared term identical to Batangas.

     Pineapple is among the thriving agricultural produce of the province.  Aside from its sweet Vitamin C-rich fruit, its leaves have another valuable use that has flourished into another line of business.  Particularly, it is a booming industry in the Municipality of Taal, where pineapple leaves are being processed into a kind of special indigenous fabric known as Jusi (pronounced “Hu-si”).  It is used especially in the crafting of first rate Barong Tagalog, our national costume for men, and other formal Filipiniana attire.  In fact, the whole line of Barong Tagalog worn by the heads of states in the 1995 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation convention hosted by the Philippines were all “proudly Batangas-made.” On the international society scene, the late revered Princess Diana Spencer was also known to use scarves made of jusi.

     Batangas is also, for those knowledgeable in and involved one way or another with the livestock industry, “rodeo country.”  Cattle production is staple in this pride of Southern Tagalog.  In point of fact, auction days (Saturdays in Bauan and San Juan;  Thursdays and Fridays in Padre Garcia) are jam-packed with beef and other livestock meat suppliers for Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.  And even before regional food tags and titles came out in advertisements, terms such as “tapang Batangas” and “gotong Batangas” are already common place – proof of long-held consumer confidence on the said Batangas food produce.

     With half of the province fronting the South China Sea, fishing is a significant industry in Batangas.  Mostly, Batangueño fishermen haul in the smaller species of the much sought-after tuna fish.  Known as the yellow-fin tuna, it is also called locally as tambakol, yellow-finned Berberabe, tambakulis, and Bonito.  And, of course, Batangas is known for the small but tasty tawilis or the Sardinella tawilis, a species of freshwater sardine endemic to Taal Lake.  Fish farms in the lake and adjoining rivers likewise produce Chanos chanos or bangus and tilapia.

     Albeit inconspicuously, sugar is a major industry in Batangas.  Actually, before the Cojuangco’s Hacienda Luisita, touted as the country's largest sugar producer, was partitioned for land reform, the Municipality of Nasugbu has been the home of the second largest sugar producing company, the Central Azucarera Don Pedro.  With Luisita’s land distribution, Batangas has assumed the role of top sugar producer in the Philippines, though in a low-key mode.  Talk about modesty, but that is just the Batangueño way.  Relative to this, Batangas is home for a wide industry of sweet delicacies.

     Expected of its barako culture, Batangueños know how to spend downtime.  But relaxation by having the proverbial drink is not just in its consumption here.  In Batangas, alcoholic drinks are also a successful industry.  Taking advantage of its being on what is called the coconut belt for the vast tracts of land planted to coconut trees spanning the Southern Tagalog region, among local liqueurs in regular production include the potent lambanog and tuba.

     Underscoring Batangueños resourcefulness, a number of towns bordering Laguna has an abounding bamboo-based industry, centered on furniture making.  Here, there are those who even cook food in bamboo, asserting the technique enhances its scent and flavor.

     Ano pa ga?! (What else?)  There surely are a lot more.  Gifted with inherent ingenuity and industriousness, it would not be a surprise if some other productive undertaking takes form, becomes successful and again showcase to one and all in our great banana republic what Batangueños are capable of accomplishing and achieving.