Destinations

Waiting for tuna in Albay

Today, about 52% of the country’s fish exports come from tuna, which buoys the lives and livelihoods of millions of Filipinos. WWF’s Global Oceans Campaign, Sustain Our Seas, builds on decades of work to rekindle the health and productivity of the Earth’s oceans.

Published

11 years ago

July 6, 2015

Contributing Writer

By Gregg Yan

A little boy admires his family boat’s sigil – a jumping Bankulis or Yellowfin Tuna. The boy’s future might very well depend on whether these oceanic giants keep on jumping.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

Late afternoon and we’re holed up in a hut along the coast of Tiwi in Albay, trading fish tales and waiting for fishermen to return. Sitting around us are their wives, mending nets and eyeing the swelling crowd of kids cajoling in the surf. It is June, the season for yellowfin tuna.

The first of the bancas arrive, unloading a decent haul of pundahan or skipjack – small, striped tuna which have proven surprisingly resilient to commercial fishing. Bancas two and three return empty-handed while a fourth disgorges a tub of galunggong or scad. Just one bankulis or yellowfin tuna has been landed, hours earlier. She tipped the scales at 39 kilograms, golden sickle-fins resplendent even in death. We wait until the sun dips into the sea, but no more tuna come.

“The Lagonoy Gulf is the Bicol region’s richest tuna site – but it is heavily overfished,” explains BFAR National Stock Assessment project head Virginia Olaño. “Two decades ago, fishers regularly caught large yellowfin. In 1998, a fisherman landed a 196 kilogram giant, long as a car and fat as a drum. Now yields are waning and yellowfin average just 18 to 35 kilograms – meaning juveniles have replaced adults.”

Though yellowfin tuna are highly-prized, they are far more than mere seafood. Top predators in the marine food chain, they maintain the balance between oceanic predators and prey. “Today the Lagonoy Gulf’s most common fish are anchovies,” warns Olaño. “There aren’t enough predators to eat them – because we’ve eaten most of their predators.”

To stop overfishing and help manage existing tuna stocks in Bicol, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), plus the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) convened the first meeting of the Gulf of Lagonoy Tuna Fishers Federation (GLTFF), comprised of the coastal municipalities ringing the Lagonoy Gulf – 3070-square kilometers of sea separating the Bicol mainland from the storm-swept island of Catanduanes. Over 500 people attended Bicol’s first large-scale gathering of fishers, held at the Lagman Auditorium of Bicol University’s Tabaco Campus.

“We’ve waited three years to formalize this federation, which covers 2000 tuna fishers in the Lagonoy Gulf,” says BFAR Assistant Regional Director Marjurie Grutas. “GLTFF aims to synergize fisheries management while optimizing cooperation, knowledge-sharing and enforcement. We aim to eliminate illegal fishing, minimize the capture of juvenile tuna and drive commercial fishers away from municipal waters – the three leading causes of overfishing.”

Since 2011, WWF has been working to enhance yellowfin tuna management practices for 5000 fishers in 112 tuna fishing villages around the Lagonoy Gulf and the coast of Occidental Mindoro.

WWF’s Public Private Partnership Programme Towards Sustainable Tuna (PPTST) has since organized tuna fishing associations in all 15 municipalities in the Lagonoy Gulf, plus six LGUs in the Mindoro Strait. It spearheaded the registration and licensing of tuna fishers, vessels and gear to minimize bycatch and illegal fishing, deployed 1000 plastic tuna tags to make the fishery traceable, and completed a series of training sessions on proper tuna handling to ensure that exported tuna continually meet international quality standards.

PPTST harnesses market power and consumer demand to promote sustainably-caught tuna and support low-impact fishing methods like artisanal fishing with hand-line reels – better alternatives to commercial tuna long-lines, which stretch up to 80 kilometers and are rigged with up to 3000 baited hooks.

Funded by Coop, Bell Seafood, Seafresh and the German Investment and Development Corporation, PPTST involves European seafood companies plus their local suppliers, BFAR, local government units in the Bicol Region and Mindoro, the WWF Coral Triangle Program, WWF-Germany plus WWF-Philippines.

“Federations like GLTFF are the resource management systems of the future,” concludes WWF-Philippines president and CEO Joel Palma while sampling maguro sashimi (thinly-cut tuna slices) sourced from the sole 39 kilogram yellowfin landed in Tiwi.

Savoring sashimi, I hope that by working to conserve their shared resource, Lagonoy Gulf’s fishers might someday herald the return of the giant bankulis. Now that fish tale should be worth the wait.

A fisherman shows off a colorful squid lure, used to entice large pelagic predators to bite.
A plethora of makeshift items – from dyed feathers and rubber squid to shredded plastic bags – are used to attract and catch tuna, billfish and mackerel.
Each fisher has his own formula: “I use a combination of rubber squid and shredded plastic lures, but my real secret is squid ink, which I tie-off in tiny plastic bags. As the lure moves, the squid ink squirts out. Fish find this irresistible,” shares Miguel Borres, a grizzled veteran.
Though gear has evolved, many fishers still rely on age-old techniques to collect their quarry.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

Yellowfin Tuna are so-named because of their canary yellow fins and finlets.
The torpedo-shaped fish have clocked in speeds of 75 kilometers per hour – almost TWICE the speed of the world’s fastest person, Usain Bolt!
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

The most sought-after fish in Bicol’s Lagonoy Gulf is the Yellowfin Tuna. A fisher shows off a handsome 39-kilogramme fish.
Two decades ago, fishers caught a 196-kilogramme Yellowfin – the largest caught in the Gulf.
Classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as near threatened, Yellowfin Tuna sport metallic blue backs, golden flanks and a silver belly. Sickle-shaped dorsal and anal fins, hued bright yellow, grant them their name.
They form schools with other tuna species and sometimes with dolphins. While most fish have white flesh, tuna tissue hosts loads of myoglobin, which efficiently oxygenates their systems to give tuna meat a distinctive red hue and mouth-watering texture. This is why they’re so highly sought after.
WWF works to conserve tuna stocks in the Philippines through its Partnership Programme Towards Sustainable Tuna (PPTST) project.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

Smaller fish such as scad and mackerel comprise the majority of fishers’ subsistence hauls.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

A fisherman rests after unloading his craft’s catch.
Thousands fish under the shadow of Mayon Volcano, whose rich volcanic nutrients fuel blooms of plankton – the essential base of the marine food pyramid.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWF-PHILIPPINES

Up Next

Watsons to boost line of generic medicines

Don't Miss

Need for improved pre-hospital care heightens in PH

Contributing Writer

Believing that everyone's perspective is important, Zest Magazine has opted to provide an avenue for these perspectives to be known. care to hear the publication's contributing writers; or better yet, do some contributing yourself by contacting info@zestmag.com.

Destinations

Visiting San Pablo City’s Pho Viet Nam

When we came across Facebook posts on Pho Viet Nam in San Pablo City in Laguna, we expected to encounter what was experienced in Vietnam (i.e. good food over so-so venue). We expected too much…

Published

1 week ago

September 17, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

If you’ve been to Vietnam, you’d know that some of the best places to eat at are in those neighborhood eateries; their versions of karinderya, in a manner of speaking, where locals prep good lutong-bahay Vietnamese offerings sans the classy places of expensive restos. Here, the focus is always the food, never the blings.

So when we came across Facebook posts on Pho Viet Nam, located somewhere in San Pablo City in the Province of Laguna, we sort of expected to encounter what was experienced in Vietnam.

@outragemag Looking for #Vietnam food while in #SanPabloCity in #Laguna? We #LGBT checked #PhoVietNam ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, this is not the most accessible place even for those with vehicles from Metro Manila. This is because you still have to travel for over an hour (if you’re lucky traffic-wise), and spend on your gas and the toll and so on.

Note that when you’re also along Apolinario Mabini Street, the resto isn’t apparent. It is located at the back of another resto (Joy), so it is very easy to miss. There is, BTW, a small entry at the side of the resto, which leads to an outdoor parking space.

Ikalawa, the actual resto is cheap-looking – e.g. plastic décor, running lights here and there, and so on. Very karinderya; cheap karinderya, for that matter.

Ikatlo, the servers were okay naman; they knew what was on the menu, and – after making quick recommendations – kept you undisturbed to enjoy what you ordered. The orders took some time to be prepped, however; I was even able to order bad-tasting fries from the other resto due to the waiting time.

Ika-apat, how was the food?

Both the ₱245 Beef Noodle Soup and the ₱245 Seafood Noodle Soup weren’t bad naman; but they weren’t good either. You get enough properly-cooked meats, the noodles are sufficient, and so on. Taste-wise, though, they were bland, and no amount of the prepared condiments helped in changing the flavor.

The ₱190 Rice Paper Roll sufficed even if, by and large, it was tasteless. The saving grace: the satay dip since it was rich and nutty and all that.

The ₱160 Meatloaf and Egg Sandwich (the banh mi kep thit va trung) had enough meat naman… and yet was also bland.

Considering the asking prices of this place, you sort of expect a lot, too. Add to that the popularity of the place – e.g. look at all those who dine there, kinukuyog. Alas, the realities when already there are harsher.

Heading to San Pablo to check this place led us to the nearby Dagatan Blvd. surrounding Sampaloc Lake, a must-check place in these parts. So we sort of do not regret heading to San Pablo.

But buod: No, Pho Viet Nam is not worth the dayo; not worth for you to intentionally seek this place out. The food wasn’t bad. But it’s not great, or even good either. It just suffices. And so, particularly for non-locals, the additional expenses for the gas, toll, et cetera make going there not worth it… sorry.

But off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa…

Pho Viet Nam is located at 130 Apolinario Mabini Street, San Pablo City, 4000 Laguna.

Destinations

Heading to Pila, Laguna? Check out La Cosina Antonio

We found our #LGBT selves in #Pila, #Laguna, where we ended up checking La Cosina Antonio.

Published

3 weeks ago

September 4, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

While traveling from Batangas City on the way to Paete, Laguna after an Intersex 101 training workshop, intersex activist Jeff Cagandahan worried where he’d feed us. And then, after a quick discussion with his wife, he suggested La Cosina Antonio, which is apparently a must-check resto in the Municipality of Pila in the province of Laguna.

So we went there, and… how was it for us?

@outragemag #LGBT wandering in #Pila, #Laguna? You may as well try #LaCosinaAntonio ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, this is really only convenient to access by locals, or those with private vehicles. Pila, if you must know, is one of the oldest settlements in the Philippines. It is, nonetheless, still largely provincial. And so this place is dadayuhin; you need to intentionally go there as it’s not on the way to major destinations.

Ikalawa, the actual venue is BIG. This one’s an old house converted into a resto with different parts – e.g. for dining, for drinking complete with a performance space for a band, venue spaces, and so on. La Cosina Antonio is, thankfully, well-kept, so that it’s clean, has updated furniture, and so on.

Ikatlo, the staff was okay naman when we were there, able to discuss what’s on the menu, make recommendations… and then prepare the orders and deliver them fast. Very home-y approach, actually, treating guests as regulars.

Ika-apat, how was the food?

The ₱375 Dinakdakan was actually good, the pork belly crispy, the chopped onions and green chilies fresh, and the calamansi-mayo dressing not overpowering.

The ₱390 Sinigang na Hipon was… so-so, not bad though not good either. Pampainit-tiyan. Though, this has to be said, at least di tinipid in the number of shrimps served.

The ₱560 Garlic Pepper Whole Chicken was good; the meat stayed juicy even if the skin was crunchy.

The ₱770 Crispy Pata was also good; crunchy skin and, yes, malamang pata. There are times when you get Crispy Pata that’s basically just skin and bone, no meat at all. Here, we got meat… thankfully.

This place is popular, true (check their Facebook page, LOL). I can be dismissive and say that because, if in Pila, it’s not like you have lots of choices. But truth be told, it’s also because La Cosina Antonio actually has not-bad stuffs to offer… including the okay venue, okay service, and okay food. So check out if you can… or just join us as we look for more LGBTQIA+ lafangan venues…

La Cosina Antonio is located along JP Rizal St., Barangay Sta. Clara Norte, Pila, Laguna.

Destinations

Pasalubong shopping in Davao via Aldevinco

#Pasalubong hunting in #Davao? Consider the new, pinasosyal #Aldevinco that may not have the grimy character of the old location but still is worth #LGBT visiting.

Published

4 weeks ago

August 31, 2026

M.D. dela Cruz Tan, MDC

Davao-bound tourists know – or should know – of Aldevinco Shopping Center, the city’s one-stop-hub for everything Mindanao-related. You need malong or patadyong as pasalubong? You need a kulintang not just as a musical instrument, but as décor? You need batik, or T’boli ethnic apparel? You can find them all… and even more, in Aldevinco.

But here’s the thing, particularly for those who do not know yet: the old Aldevinco, which was located along C.M. Recto Street and Roxas Avenue in Davao City, is no more.

Now… enter the new Aldevinco, this time located at Poblacion Market Central on C. Bangoy Street (former Madrazo Fruit Stand)… which isn’t that far from the old place, actually.

We checked, and here are some things worth noting.

@outragemag #Pasalubong hunting in #Davao? Consider the new, pinasosyal #Aldevinco that may not have the grimy character of the old location but still is worth #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, this place looks and feels new. The old Aldevinco had a palengke feel, but this one has a mall feel. So you have a high-ceilinged venue with better-arranged stores that are air-conditioned, and so on. Pina-sosyal, in a manner of speaking.

Ikalawa, when there, the rules remain the same: haggle. The prices first quoted to you are not the actual prices the goods go for… unless you’re too moneyed and you don’t want to ask for discounts, though in that case, you shouldn’t even be in Aldevinco at all. The more you buy (i.e. bulk buying), the lower the prices, obviously. But always haggle… even if only for the fun of doing it.

Ikatlo, if you have time to spare, don’t auto-buy from the first store you check. Tour the area and compare prices. Often, the goods sold in one store will also be offered in a different store. So move around before making a final decision.

And ika-apat, Aldevinco may be popular as the go-to place for pasalubong, but in truth this isn’t the only one. Halimbawa, right across the old Aldevinco is a series of shops, some of them from the old Aldevinco. Because, at times, Aldevinco can feel like a tourist trap, and understandably, not everyone likes going into one. So consider your other options.

All the same, when in Davao, this is a place worth checking… if not for the shopping, then the food… or at least to check what happened to the tenants of the 60-year-old Aldevinco that was closed in December 2021, and is now being redeveloped into who-knows-what.

All part of rediscovery as we continue the LGBTQIA+ rampa wherever and everywhere…

Open from 9AM to 7PM (with the Kūkūñ Food Hall open from 10AM to 9 PM), Aldevinco Shopping Center is located at Poblacion Market Central, C. Bangoy Street, Davao City.