Who says podcasts have to be only audio?
Introducing part 2 of this landmark “audiozine” episode on Sherwin Felix, the millennial food content creator behind the digital archive @Lokalpedia, which has a unique heritage take on Philippine cuisine.
This podcast has always had a video counterpart posted on certain platforms, but video only of the online interviews. One of Howie’s I-Witness documentaries was repurposed for a podcast episode.
To produce this audiozine our podcast team actually had to leave our homes.
Shooting on location for the first time, we went to the Taal lakeshore in Batangas to produce video of Sherwin in a natural setting with a table of little known Philippine heirloom food ingredients. It was a refreshing respite from our usual zoom encounters with thought leaders.
Don’t get used to it. This format is a special occasion to mark this podcast’s third anniversary. We will continue to innovate and occasionally produce audiozines.
Our team enjoyed producing this one as it was a chance to see each other face to face as well as hold, smell and taste the delectable objects our guest was talking about with so much passion.
Introducing part 2 of this landmark “audiozine” episode on Sherwin Felix, the millennial food content creator behind the digital archive @Lokalpedia, which has a unique heritage take on Philippine cuisine.
This podcast has always had a video counterpart posted on certain platforms, but video only of the online interviews. One of Howie’s I-Witness documentaries was repurposed for a podcast episode.
To produce this audiozine our podcast team actually had to leave our homes.
Shooting on location for the first time, we went to the Taal lakeshore in Batangas to produce video of Sherwin in a natural setting with a table of little known Philippine heirloom food ingredients. It was a refreshing respite from our usual zoom encounters with thought leaders.
Don’t get used to it. This format is a special occasion to mark this podcast’s third anniversary. We will continue to innovate and occasionally produce audiozines.
Our team enjoyed producing this one as it was a chance to see each other face to face as well as hold, smell and taste the delectable objects our guest was talking about with so much passion.
Category
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NewsTranscript
00:00 We can see in this table the richness of our food heritage in our country.
00:07 But the difference here is the leaves, the fruits.
00:11 You won't find this in the grocery or in the market.
00:15 And most of the time, before the Castilians came, the Filipinos were already eating.
00:27 We're native, sir Howie. Let's talk about the natives.
00:31 We have this, sir, are you familiar with this?
00:34 Just a few.
00:36 No, it's just like ordinary leaves.
00:40 But what they call this is Chinese Malunggay.
00:44 Chinese Malunggay, but it's native to the Philippines.
00:47 For some reason, I don't know why.
00:48 Why is it called Chinese?
00:50 I don't know, it's different. Japanese Malunggay.
00:53 Maybe it's also in China.
00:54 I'm not sure, maybe it is. But it's native to the Philippines.
00:58 But it also has vernacular names like local, like Binahian, Marunguito, Katuk.
01:05 Where is that from?
01:07 Actually, it's also around the Philippines.
01:09 We have Malunggay, but it's not native.
01:15 How do you cook this?
01:17 It's just like the usual Malunggay.
01:20 Munggo, tinola, stir-fry.
01:23 That's the taste?
01:24 That's it.
01:25 But the locals say that this is more delicious.
01:28 The leaves are bigger than the Malunggay.
01:31 And it has a little sweetness.
01:33 And then, there's this, my favorite native fruit.
01:37 For sure, others don't know this.
01:40 It's sad, my favorite is, it reminds me of my home, Kalumpit.
01:44 Kalumpit.
01:45 For most people, Kalumpit is their hometown in Bulacan.
01:49 This is the fruit where the name Kalumpit Bulacan came from.
01:55 But the Kalumpit people say that even there, the trees are not that many.
02:00 So, the case for many native species, trees, plants, even animals,
02:05 that are native, this is what we don't see often.
02:09 When we go to the market, we see more introduced.
02:13 Sure, and this reminds me, because Kalumpit is also a town in Bulacan.
02:17 For most people, especially the youth,
02:20 these place names, named after trees and plants,
02:24 not many people know that those are trees and plants.
02:28 That's why we have here in our land,
02:31 the Kamuning, the fragrant ones.
02:34 One of our visitors said, "Oh, what's that? Is that a tree?"
02:38 We thought it was just a place.
02:40 The Kamuning, and not many people know.
02:43 Kamuning, Quezon City.
02:44 Yes, of course.
02:45 Kamuning, Quezon City, not many people know that the Antipolo,
02:48 that we know as a city in Manila and a town in many places,
02:53 is a beautiful tree.
02:55 Even the Lepa, the Tigalepa, they don't know that it's a tree.
02:59 Etc. etc.
03:00 The O is originally a tree.
03:03 So, our ancestors actually named their places after trees and plants.
03:09 Very near here, right next to us is Balete, Balete Town.
03:13 Very near here also is Talisay.
03:16 Talisay, Batangas.
03:17 Yes, Talisay, Batangas.
03:18 I heard that.
03:19 There's also Talisay, Cebu.
03:20 In fact, we have a lot of Talisay trees in our area.
03:24 Our town, maybe because of the number of trees,
03:27 our ancestors couldn't decide that
03:30 they just named it after tall trees.
03:32 Oh, just tall trees.
03:35 Yes, just tall trees.
03:36 But I think maybe it's because of the number of trees,
03:40 maybe it's because of the number of trees,
03:43 the area was more forested.
03:44 Yes, of course.
03:45 But of course, this is lowland, so this is the area that was first deforested.
03:50 This looks like a combination of squash, tomato, tomato.
03:58 It looks like a small pumpkin, a mini pumpkin.
04:03 And the color is also orange, like a tomato.
04:06 Yes, it's like that. This is from Maranao.
04:10 Maranao?
04:11 But there are also a lot of this in, for example, in Eastern Visayas, Narong-Tarong.
04:16 What is this called?
04:17 Pariya Laut, from Maranao.
04:19 It's long.
04:20 Pariya is a bitter gourd, but it's strong.
04:22 Let's taste it, it's a challenge.
04:23 This is clean.
04:25 Bitter.
04:28 How is it?
04:33 It's bitter.
04:34 This is really bitter.
04:37 Bitter?
04:38 How do you eat this? How do you cook this?
04:40 For them, sometimes they crush this.
04:42 Then, they put some fish paste.
04:46 Then,
04:47 I'm sure they don't just put it on top.
04:50 Not really.
04:51 They cook it.
04:52 There's still a comparison.
04:53 Do they eat this raw?
04:54 They cook it.
04:55 They cook it.
04:56 I'm sure it tastes better when it's cooked.
04:58 Yes, or it can be used in vegetable dishes.
05:00 It can be used as a battle against bitter gourd.
05:03 Look at this.
05:04 They look alike.
05:05 Is it the same?
05:06 No.
05:07 This is actually different varieties.
05:08 This is also a bitter gourd, but this is more like a tomato.
05:11 Sir, how do we call this?
05:12 It's tasty.
05:13 Yes.
05:14 This is what we call,
05:15 It's not bitter.
05:16 Tomato,
05:17 Tagalog,
05:18 Kinabasa,
05:19 Tomato.
05:20 An old variety of tomato.
05:22 Native.
05:23 Actually,
05:24 Tomatoes are introduced,
05:26 but I said, in food heritage,
05:28 there are some that are long-standing.
05:30 We can say, it's Filipino.
05:32 Can you explain what is this?
05:35 It's a tomato.
05:36 But, do you notice a difference from the usual?
05:38 It's delicious, actually.
05:40 It's juicier.
05:41 It's juicy.
05:42 It's different.
05:43 It's different.
05:44 It's like,
05:45 it's tasty.
05:46 Yes, that's right.
05:47 It's my favorite.
05:49 I can eat this.
05:50 That's right.
05:51 In the Northern Philippines,
05:53 for example, in Ilocos region,
05:55 Actually,
05:56 I can eat this and eat it as a snack.
05:58 It's their favorite condiment.
06:00 It's juicy.
06:02 It's juicy.
06:03 It tastes like a delicious tomato.
06:05 But, it's sad because,
06:07 this kind of tomato,
06:08 Tagalog tomato,
06:09 Kinabasa,
06:10 or Kamatisan,
06:11 there are a lot of vernacular names,
06:12 but there are only a few in the public markets.
06:15 It's not that common.
06:17 It's still common in Ilocos region,
06:18 but outside,
06:19 it's not sold that much anymore.
06:22 Because it's easy to get damaged.
06:23 Because it's juicy,
06:24 it has a high moisture content.
06:25 So, you can't buy it in the market?
06:27 Yes, especially outside Ilocos region.
06:29 So, is this cultivated?
06:30 Yes, it's cultivated.
06:32 Who cultivates this?
06:33 The farmers in Ilocos region.
06:36 Mostly, it's small-scale.
06:39 It's not large-scale.
06:40 Can we cultivate this?
06:41 Yes, you can.
06:42 You can plant the seed.
06:43 You can plant it.
06:44 It's easy to get damaged.
06:46 It's easy to get soft.
06:49 But, it tastes superior.
06:52 It's just better than newer hybrid varieties.
06:55 Is this a hybrid?
06:56 The round ones, the uniform,
06:58 because of its beauty,
06:59 it has a different shape.
07:01 It's irregular.
07:02 Let's say,
07:03 some people say that the other designs are ugly
07:06 because it's round.
07:08 But, this is its beauty
07:09 because it's an old variety.
07:11 Before the tomatoes came in.
07:14 I know this one.
07:17 Batangas.
07:18 Yes, because it's really delicacy.
07:20 The paho,
07:21 is it related to mango?
07:25 Yes.
07:26 Our common mango is Manguifera Indica.
07:29 The usual one.
07:30 But, it's introduced.
07:31 This is also Manguifera.
07:33 It's a common mango.
07:35 Native to the Philippines.
07:37 Yes.
07:38 For sure, you know the story.
07:40 Sir, how do you eat this paho in Batangas?
07:42 By itself,
07:46 it's eaten with fish.
07:48 It's eaten with tuna.
07:51 It's sour.
07:52 It can be pickled.
07:54 It can be eaten with salad.
07:56 And, you know, Sir,
07:57 in the early days,
07:59 this is the alternative for olives.
08:01 It's recorded in our old recipe books.
08:04 Because, it has a different smell.
08:06 It smells delicious.
08:07 It has a different smell from the usual mango.
08:09 Wow, this one,
08:11 it looks like it's peeled,
08:16 but it's not.
08:17 It's really like this.
08:18 How can we describe this to our listeners?
08:22 It's a certain kind of yellow.
08:26 But, what does it taste like?
08:31 Oh my God.
08:34 But, it's sour, but not too much.
08:38 Actually, it's delicious.
08:40 It's delicious.
08:41 This is called...
08:44 Camyas is even sourer.
08:46 Yes, it's even sourer.
08:47 This is just mild.
08:49 Camyas' relatives always eat this,
08:51 but it's of a different species.
08:53 This is called, in the local name,
08:56 Carmay, Caramay, Bangkiling.
08:58 There are many other names.
08:59 Bangkiling.
09:00 So, where is it called Bangkiling?
09:02 In Mindoro, for example.
09:04 So, this is Mindoro.
09:05 Yes, Bangkiling.
09:06 But, in other places, it's also called Bangkiling.
09:07 And, it's sour.
09:08 You can add this.
09:09 You can make it even sourer.
09:10 You can make it even sourer.
09:12 Yes, in Ilocos region,
09:14 they put Ilocos vinegar for Inartem.
09:17 It's really good.
09:20 It's delicious.
09:21 It's refreshing.
09:22 It's sour, but it's not mild.
09:24 It's sweet.
09:26 Sherwin has already introduced
09:28 some of the ingredients here at the table.
09:30 Now, he will cook
09:32 using the other ingredients here.
09:36 Today, I will cook
09:41 something that's actually complex,
09:42 but it's easy.
09:44 It's one of the closest foods to me
09:47 because this is what my mom prepares
09:49 when I visit Occidental Mindoro.
09:51 This is what I eat when I go home.
09:52 Even when I'm in Manila,
09:53 I request for Kalumpit Jam
09:56 or Sweetened Kalumpit.
09:58 What is Kalumpit?
10:00 Kalumpit is from the Genus Terminaria.
10:02 It's a native tree, fruit bearing.
10:05 It's in season now.
10:07 It's also called Batangas Cherry.
10:09 It's common in Batangas.
10:11 Before, there was a store selling
10:13 blueberry, no, not blueberry,
10:15 Kalumpit Cheesecake.
10:17 Kalumpit is very easy to make.
10:20 We'll just boil some hot water.
10:23 Just enough, not too much.
10:25 Then, we'll add the fruits.
10:28 It's very easy.
10:31 It's very simple.
10:32 Just water and sugar.
10:34 But we won't add the sugar yet.
10:37 When will you add the sugar?
10:39 When it boils and the Kalumpit softens,
10:42 we'll remove the--
10:44 We do it like this at home.
10:45 I'll compare it to how others do it.
10:47 My mom will remove the Kalumpit,
10:50 separate it,
10:51 so there's some water left.
10:53 That's where we'll add the sugar.
10:55 When the sugar is soft,
10:57 we'll add the Kalumpit back
10:59 and cook it again.
11:01 It's done.
11:02 What does Kalumpit tree look like?
11:04 Kalumpit tree is very tall.
11:07 It's very tall.
11:09 It can grow up to 30 meters high.
11:11 Oh my!
11:12 And most of the time, because it's very tall,
11:14 it's hard to climb up.
11:16 There are people who can climb up,
11:17 but my mom and I just let it fall down
11:19 during the fruiting season.
11:21 And then some other people,
11:23 even here in Batangas,
11:24 I've seen them doing the net
11:26 underneath
11:28 so that when the Kalumpit falls,
11:30 it can be picked up.
11:31 Because it's very straight.
11:33 Okay.
11:34 So, when the Kalumpit is soft,
11:37 we can now transfer it.
11:39 So, we'll add the sugar.
11:43 There.
11:44 So, there's a lot of sugar.
11:48 It's just right.
11:49 It's just right.
11:51 It's just right.
11:52 It's just right that there's not that much sugar.
11:55 So, it's a bit red, right?
11:58 Yes.
11:59 The color is beautiful.
12:00 Red.
12:01 Wine red.
12:03 It looks like blood.
12:07 Yes.
12:08 Hello.
12:10 Hey.
12:11 This is our sweetened Kalumpit or Kalumpit Jam.
12:13 I also prepared some more
12:15 that we can taste.
12:16 Okay.
12:17 Okay.
12:18 So, this is the one we'll taste first.
12:21 Okay.
12:22 Kalumpit.
12:23 I hope I don't feel it.
12:25 Mmm.
12:28 This Kalumpit has a seed, by the way.
12:32 It's sweet with a mix of sour,
12:35 very sticky,
12:39 and it still has seeds.
12:43 So, actually, most of it has seeds.
12:47 There's a bit of meat,
12:48 and it's sweet with a bit of sour.
12:52 This is a winter melon or kundol.
12:55 Oh.
12:56 Mmm.
13:03 It's a mix of sour.
13:04 And there's a lemon.
13:07 Lemon citron castilla.
13:09 Suave castilla.
13:11 It's different.
13:13 So, how was this made?
13:15 This kundol is shredded.
13:19 It's like a char,
13:21 and then there's sweeteners,
13:22 and then there's peels.
13:24 And this is what makes it unique.
13:27 So, it's a species from the citrus family.
13:31 And then,
13:33 it gives a different depth to the sweeteners.
13:36 They also put this in leche flan,
13:38 in fruit cake,
13:40 aside from its beautiful red color.
13:43 They just put it in.
13:45 And then, we have this maranao palapa.
13:48 Oh.
13:49 This is not a dessert.
13:51 No, because it's too sweet.
13:54 Let's finish with the...
13:55 Savory.
13:56 Spicy.
13:57 OMG.
14:00 Whoo!
14:01 It's surprising.
14:04 [laughs]
14:07 They really like the taste.
14:11 Oh my God.
14:12 It's giving me hiccups.
14:13 Sorry, it's spicy.
14:15 Sorry, it's too spicy.
14:18 I ate a lot.
14:20 Okay, Sherwin.
14:21 My first experience with a lot of things
14:24 on this day.
14:26 But the spiciness I tasted earlier
14:29 is different.
14:31 Right?
14:32 What's the backstory?
14:34 What are the ingredients?
14:36 We have sacurab or cebujin.
14:39 Then, we put chilies.
14:41 What kind?
14:42 Any kind of chili.
14:43 Usually, you can put chili,
14:44 but they have a local name.
14:45 Because their food is maranao.
14:47 There are versions of palapa
14:48 in other parts of Mindanao.
14:50 But this is the one in Maranao.
14:52 And they eat this with their dishes.
14:57 They can put this in traditional dishes.
14:59 So, you can eat it as it is.
15:01 But the condiment is like
15:03 their kimchi.
15:05 So, imagine it's that spicy.
15:07 I can handle kimchi.
15:09 But this, I only tried a little.
15:13 I need a fireman.
15:17 Sorry.
15:18 I should have warned you.
15:20 No, well, that's the experience
15:22 of a lot of Filipinos.
15:24 That's how they taste.
15:27 It's surprising.
15:29 I know that there are Filipinos
15:31 who like spicy food.
15:32 You know that Bicolanos like spicy food.
15:35 But I didn't know that Maranaos
15:37 are really brave
15:39 and they like spicy food.
15:40 We have some questions
15:42 from our pod mates.
15:44 They sent us questions
15:47 that they want to know
15:49 from Sherwin.
15:51 So, I will pick some questions
15:53 from our pod mates.
15:55 We did a call out.
15:57 And these are some of them.
15:59 Okay, from Ang Estopase.
16:03 What do you think are the foods
16:06 you have eaten that are not famous
16:09 but delicious?
16:11 Me? No.
16:13 I will pick a native fruit called
16:16 Tabo from Palawan.
16:18 This is a very personal question.
16:20 This is one of the most delicious fruits
16:22 that I have not tried yet.
16:24 Have you tried Tabo?
16:26 Yes.
16:27 Tabo is a native fruit
16:28 that is this big.
16:29 It's round.
16:30 And when you open it,
16:32 it has a big edible portion.
16:34 It's white.
16:35 It tastes like mangosteen
16:37 plus santol.
16:38 It's sweet with a little bit of sourness
16:40 but it's very delicious.
16:41 It's different from other fruits.
16:42 It's not known outside Palawan.
16:44 And even some of Palawenos,
16:46 they don't know
16:48 that Tabo exists.
16:50 Why are there foods like that?
16:52 You said that it's very delicious.
16:54 And here in the Philippines,
16:56 why are they not available
16:58 in the market, in the grocery?
17:00 Why are they not known
17:02 in the first place?
17:03 The majority of our products,
17:05 we call it underutilized.
17:08 Or sometimes we can't cultivate.
17:10 Maybe there are many factors.
17:12 One of the factors is the lack of knowledge.
17:14 We don't really emphasize
17:16 in our education system, Sir Howie,
17:18 what is our own food.
17:20 I can't even remember
17:22 what my teachers told me
17:24 about Native and Demique
17:26 and introducing food.
17:28 We don't even explore our Philippine cuisine
17:30 or Philippine heritage food in our curriculum.
17:32 So that's one.
17:34 There's no emphasis.
17:36 And then there are some, for example,
17:38 their habitat is decreasing.
17:40 So the chance of them
17:42 coming to our markets
17:44 is getting smaller.
17:46 For example, vegetables, fruits.
17:48 It's different from the artisanal products,
17:50 because there are not many people buying.
17:52 No one is supporting.
17:54 It's just up to their surroundings.
17:56 There's no demand.
17:58 That's why many artisanal or
18:00 processed products, the traditional,
18:02 they stop making.
18:04 Many generations
18:06 continued this.
18:08 They will stop this
18:10 because they are still having a hard time.
18:12 Not just lack of support, climate change,
18:14 competition to mass-produce
18:16 products.
18:18 There are many problems
18:20 facing food heritage.
18:22 Okay, so from Ariel
18:24 Rondina Regino,
18:26 what are the native plant
18:28 food of the Philippines
18:30 that you found the most important
18:32 in terms of their economic
18:34 and cultural value?
18:36 And where can we find it?
18:38 The cultural value,
18:40 I will not answer that.
18:42 It's from the community.
18:44 They will decide how important it is.
18:46 But for the economic value,
18:48 one of the things that I think of is
18:50 Pili. Pili is a very delicious
18:52 endemic species
18:54 of plant. We underutilize it.
18:56 We don't market it much.
18:58 We don't exploit
19:00 its full economic potential.
19:02 But, you know,
19:04 I just came from Naga.
19:06 Actually, there's a brand
19:08 there, a store there, House of Pili.
19:10 The products are all
19:12 made from
19:14 Pili. Candies,
19:16 marzapan,
19:18 all kinds of sweets,
19:20 Pili tart, etc.
19:22 But you can say that it's still underutilized.
19:24 Yes, if you go to international
19:26 nut market, not all of them know
19:28 Pili, but if you ask them, they can
19:30 make it into almonds,
19:32 walnuts, but it's not yet on the stage
19:34 that it can be
19:36 internationally known.
19:38 Even here in the Philippines, not all of them can eat Pili.
19:40 It's delicious,
19:42 but not all of them have access to it.
19:44 I saw it in Naga.
19:46 In Manila, it's not ordinary.
19:48 It's sad.
19:50 That's why it's underutilized for me.
19:52 Do you think it's a matter of marketing only?
19:54 I think
19:56 it's deeper. It's not just a matter of
19:58 marketing. It's also a matter of our
20:00 policies in the country.
20:02 Our inclination to importation,
20:04 our inclination to
20:06 other industries.
20:08 We don't pay attention to it.
20:10 Farming is one of the most neglected
20:12 sectors in the Philippines.
20:14 That's one of the factors.
20:16 We don't cultivate or
20:18 mass-propagate our native plants.
20:20 This is from Andrew Marcelo Apilado.
20:24 Of all you've documented,
20:26 Sherwin, which one
20:28 would you not be able to bear losing
20:30 if customs or traditions
20:32 were to fade away?
20:34 Okay.
20:36 What will you cry about
20:38 if it were to fade away?
20:40 What would I cry about?
20:42 Maybe I'd cry about my mom.
20:44 But I think
20:46 it's not about
20:48 what's important or not.
20:50 They're all culturally relevant.
20:52 Once one of our food is gone, it's hard to
20:54 get it back.
20:56 Our food is like a puzzle.
20:58 It's like a beautiful picture.
21:00 And it's not like
21:02 once one is gone,
21:04 everything is affected.
21:06 That's the image of Philippine cuisine.
21:08 We cannot afford to lose one or two or three.
21:10 We maintain them all.
21:12 We conserve, we preserve,
21:14 we take care of them, etc.
21:16 Okay, this is from
21:18 milktea.coffee.
21:20 What can
21:22 ordinary Filipinos do
21:24 to help
21:26 promote heritage ingredients?
21:28 Wow. That's a good question.
21:30 That's a good question.
21:32 Helping
21:34 food heritage and food biodiversity
21:36 is not just for
21:38 art or culture, it's not just for scientists.
21:40 We, the common folks,
21:42 should be able to
21:44 help. I started as an
21:46 ordinary Filipino
21:48 by diversifying your diet.
21:50 If you see something unfamiliar,
21:52 buy it.
21:54 Utilize it.
21:56 Talk to vendors.
21:58 If you diversify your diet,
22:00 that's what they'll plant and harvest.
22:02 They'll cultivate it. Choosing your food is a political act.
22:04 So, whatever you put on
22:06 your plate,
22:08 whether it's synthetic or
22:10 food with chemicals,
22:12 that will be common.
22:14 So, we need to be more
22:16 mindful consumers. We can be
22:18 co-producers.
22:20 We decide
22:22 what will be released in the market.
22:24 That's one. And another
22:26 thing is, I think, we need to
22:28 be ambassadors of our food.
22:30 We need to be proud.
22:32 Some people are ashamed of
22:34 eating
22:36 the poor.
22:38 No. Be proud.
22:40 Look at this. The richness of the Philippines
22:42 is unique. We're not poor.
22:44 I hope we can eat, especially
22:46 the young people, their preferences
22:48 are different.
22:50 Milk tea, sangyup,
22:52 and other things.
22:54 They'll say, "Traditional food is badoy."
22:56 So, I think
22:58 we need to change that mindset.
23:00 But, of course, again,
23:02 one of the things we can do
23:04 is, since school,
23:06 at home,
23:08 we impose education
23:10 about our food heritage.
23:12 I have a question.
23:14 What is
23:16 your favorite
23:20 taste or
23:22 food that
23:24 is really close to being gone?
23:26 Oh, okay.
23:28 I think, for me,
23:30 our artisanal salts.
23:32 Salty.
23:34 We say, "Oh, that's just salt."
23:36 Right?
23:38 I believe-- So, this might be gone?
23:40 Yes. Not just that.
23:42 Toltol.
23:44 Sugpo asin. Sugpo asin is not being made anymore.
23:46 I think
23:48 they ceased production.
23:50 Simple asin.
23:52 How can that be gone?
23:54 Sir Howie,
23:56 salt industry is one of the
23:58 most endangered
24:00 local industries.
24:02 They're a victim
24:04 of climate change. Let's say, for example,
24:06 urbanization. All the salts
24:08 before were subdivision.
24:10 Microplastics, pollutions,
24:12 oil spills,
24:14 they stopped using toltol.
24:16 In Mindoro, there was
24:18 an oil spill, I think, last year.
24:20 You can't make salt
24:22 without toltol.
24:24 Another one, importation. 90% of salts
24:26 here in the Philippines, imported.
24:28 We are an archipelago, but we're not
24:30 self-sufficient. We're not independent.
24:32 We're dependent on the salts of other
24:34 races. So, our salt industry
24:36 is in a state of crisis.
24:38 For me, that's what's really
24:40 dangerous.
24:42 We have regulations, right? We have laws
24:44 that prevent the entry
24:46 of artisanal salts
24:48 in the market.
24:50 It's not naturally iodized.
24:52 Our traditional salts are not naturally
24:54 iodized.
24:56 I heard that
24:58 in your podcast with Erwan.
25:00 I heard that.
25:02 It's true that the salt law requires iodine.
25:04 If there's no iodine,
25:06 the salt, for example,
25:08 the salt of Tibuok,
25:10 they say that when the LGU found out,
25:12 they pulled out
25:14 this
25:16 artisanal salt.
25:18 They can't sell it in a bigger market.
25:20 Sir Howie.
25:22 They're buying less.
25:24 This law is even less.
25:26 Other artisanal salt makers
25:28 said that when you add iodine
25:30 or other components
25:32 or chemicals, the salt won't form.
25:34 Third, they don't like the taste
25:36 because iodine is metallic.
25:38 It's sad because
25:40 the salt law, for sure, has a good aim
25:42 to mitigate iodine deficiency.
25:44 But it didn't have a good
25:46 effect on the artisanal salt industry.
25:48 Okay.
25:50 The last question is from
25:52 Claude Despabila
25:54 Deras.
25:56 Is there a forever?
25:58 Forever?
26:00 What's this?
26:02 It's better to think
26:04 that there's no forever.
26:06 Because if we think that there's a forever,
26:08 we will take
26:10 a lot of things for granted.
26:12 We will be complacent.
26:14 If we look at the culture,
26:16 we will not take things for granted.
26:18 We will not value it.
26:20 Imagine, we are losing
26:22 so many Filipino flavors,
26:24 food, fruits, vegetables.
26:26 There's no forever, Sir Howie.
26:28 That's why, as I said earlier,
26:30 we need to save
26:32 because once it's gone, it's hard to get it back.
26:34 Okay.
26:36 Thank you very much.
26:38 Sherwin Felix,
26:40 aka Localpedia,
26:42 heritage, advocate, extraordinaire.
26:44 Long live!
26:46 Thank you, Sir Howie.
26:48 [Music]