‘Tubong kangkong’

PLARIDEL, Bulacan — Now, the proverbial tubong lugaw has found its match.

Residents living along the Plaridel stretch of the Angat River have coined another term for good profit. They called it tubong kangkong, which they now use to refer to the income they generate from the kangkong plants abounding in the span of the river system.

Shirley Torreja, a kangkong farmer told The STAR that this is a source of livelihood that does not require a lot of capital but earns good. "Ang puhunan lang namin sa hanapbuhay ay ang straw na pang tali sa mga puno ng kangkong at saka pagod" she revealed.

Torreja said that in their community in Barangay Banga in this town, around 50 residents are getting livelihood from kangkong production.

"Ang iba sa amin, tinatawag na puno. Ang mga puno ang may-ari ng nakatanim na kangkong sa ilog. Samantalang ang iba naman ay sila ang mga taga-gapas. Ang mga taga-gapas ang mga umaani para sa mga puno." Torreja explained.

She said most of them earn around P400 a day in planting and harvesting kangkong. Their produce are brought to Nepa Q Mart, Novaliches, Manggahan Commonwealth, all in Quezon City.

She said that in February — the peak month — buyers or "viajeros" buy kangkong for P25 per bundle, which would be divided among the owners and the harvesters. P10 would be for the harvester and P15 for the owner.

During the month of April, kangkong sells for P12, with P8 going to the harvester and P4 to the owner.

Torreja said they plant kangkong only once a year, mostly in September. They tie the kangkong tubes together using straw and these would be left in the river to grow. Each owner harvests kangkong once a week. "Mas madaling lumaki ang kangkong kapag gumagalaw ang tubig sa ilog. Kapag stagnant, mabagal lumaki," she said.

"Ang iba sa amin, nagdadala sa mga Chinese restaurant. Ang dinadala nila doon ay iyong tinatawag na gapang. Mas maputi at mas malutong kaysa sa karaniwan," Torreja told The STAR.

She said, during the rainy season when the crop faces the greatest risk of being swept away by strong currents, they tie the stalks.

Torreja said kangkong farmers can be proud that they play an important role in the preservation and conservation of the river because if the river gets polluted, it will adversely affect their source of income.

"Binabawalan namin ang mga tao na magtapon ng basura sa ilog dahil kapag dumumi na ito, mawawalan na kami ng pagkakakitaan. Ipinagmamalaki pa naman naming na safe kainin ang kangkong na galing ng Plaridel dahil hindi kami gumagamit ng kahit na anong kemikal," she said.