Casiguran Virgin Coconut Wine
Casiguran, Aurora
Casiguran in Aurora is now known for propagating organic agriculture and espousing the practice of processing food the natural way. The munipality created in 2005 the Casiguran Producer Cooperative whose interest is to generate livelihood opportunities thru the production and marketing of vinegar as a source of health and physical wellness. These include Virgin Coconut Distilled Wine (Lambanog), and Coconut Vinegar (Sukang Niyog Puro) which comes from coconut sweet sap called "tuba" or coconut nectar and made to age for 60 - 90 days without chemical additives. These products are known for their medicinal values: high in cancer fighting anti-oxidants, natural appetite suppresant, reduces cholesterol level to prevent heart diseases, slows down aging process, and cures common ailments like stress and even dundruffs.
Dinalungan Deer Park
Dinalungan, Aurora
A strategic area where a man-made structure was built added with exquisite landscape combined with exotic plants, water hyacinths, water lilies and trees are home to the endemic Sambar Deer nurtured by an environmentalist couple. (Credit: Dinalunagn Tourism Office)
Sabutan Hand-woven Products
Sabutan, Aurora
The Sabutan plant is abundant in the province of Aurora. Through the creativity and ingenuity of local entrepreneurs, its leaves are transformed into colorful works of art in the form of woven hats, floor mats, bags, slippers and wall decor. These products are exported abroad.
All About SABUTAN
Sabutan belongs to the family of Pandan, its scientific name is Pandanus sabotan. It is a screwpine plant 2 to 4 meters high. Its full-grown leaves are fine in texture, 2 meters long and 6 centimeters wide.
At present, sabutan is found growing in abundance in a semi-wild condition in Aurora. It can be propagated by suckers, and its cultivation can be extended advantageously to any part of the Philippines having moist but well-drained soil.
Sabutan weaving is one of the traditional crafts of Aurora. The tedious process involved in the preparation of raw material rendered the product truly special to the weavers. In the preparation of the fiber, the spiny margins and midribs of the leaves are removed. The leaves are partly dried in the sun, and divided into strips of the desired width by splitting with a comb-like instrument.
The fibers are boiled for about 15 minutes either in fresh water or in water mixed with a little vinegar, lemon, or tamarind fruit. Excess water in the fiber is squeezed out by drawing the strips tightly around a piece of wood. The prepared fibers are then coiled in bundles and for a period of 24 hours are placed preferably in running water; if in stagnant water, the liquid must be changed frequently. The fibers processed are washed several times in fresh water and spread out in the sun to dry.
The primary use of sabutan is in the production of fiber for manufacturing hats. Such headwear made of sabutan are strong and durable and its texture resembles that of the Panama hat. The unbleached hats are light green-gray. The chief objection to the craft is that they do not bleach readily. Good sabutan hats command a high price in the Philippines.
In the early 90s, sabutan fiber bleaching, dyeing and color matching was introduced. This spawned the development of new and trendy hat designs, and new products like bags, placemats and novelty items.
The inherent craftsmanship of the weavers transformed the hats from being a functional product into a high fashion accessory that immediately became a hit in the export market. Over the years, through various skills training, technology transfers, and product development programs, new product lines and designs are developed. These included colorful hats in various styles for ladies, men, and children; mats in round, oval, and rectangular shapes and weave patterns, bags in various styles. Also produced in less quantity were boxes, decors, and trims. Recent additions to the sabutan product line are the upholstery and throw pillow as component and accessories, respectively, in the wood-based home furniture products.
On the other hand, demand for mats is increasing. Domestic buyers convert the sabutan mats of excellent quality further in their natural or dyed shades into bags, footwear, and other novelty items for the domestic and export markets. There are also demands from foreign buyers for loom woven mats. The mats were the rectangular, diagonally woven type in single, twin or queen sizes. Sabutan is also an excellent material for cushions and is good for making handbags, picture frames, and other fancy articles.
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