ALAMINOS CITY—This city, home of the famous Hundred Islands, staged its fourth Talaba Ihaw-ihaw Festival along the central business area Sunday afternoon to promote its talaba (oyster) industry, an eco-friendly mariculture activity.

Residents of Alaminos City begin to grill the oysters for the Talaba Ihaw-ihaw festival. (Photos from Alaminos CIO)

Residents and visitors grilled some 100 sacks of oysters grown in coastal barangays of Baleydaan, Mona, Pangapisan and Cayucay where, according to  Gilbert Rabadon, an aquaculturist at the City Agriculture Office, the best oysters in Pangasinan are produced.

Rabadon told The PUNCH that the city consistently produces about 15,000 sacks of oysters of the Crassostrea iredalei species every year and are sold to local restaurants in Pangasinan and as far as Metro Manila.

He attributed the regular and uninterrupted production to the fact that the barangays were never affected by red tide.

The Crassostrea iredalei oyster species grown here marketable sizes that measure five to seven inches big with a diameter of three to five inches, Rabadon said.

Oysters are filter feeder seeded naturally and harvested after five to six months.

There are about 150 oyster growers in the city and use the bamboo stick hanging method.

The city government led by Mayor Arthur Celeste distributed bamboo and ropes to about 64 recipients from Barangay Mona who in turn provide empty oyster shells.

Among the festival’s guests were former Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco, Abono Partylist Rep. Conrado Estrella III, Board Member Antonio Sison, and Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay.

Locals prepare and serve oysters either grilled, steamed, adobo style or kilawen. (Tita Roces)

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