The city government is set to grill around 200 sacks of oysters for participants in the Talaba (Oyster) Festival on March 12, a highlight of this year’s Hundred Islands Festival.

City Environment and Natural Resources head Rosalie Aruelo said on Wednesday that the oysters were harvested from farms in Barangays Baleyadaan, Mona, Cayucay, and Pangapisan.

“The harvested oysters will be cleaned and placed in sacks, and will be distributed to the participants tomorrow before the street party,” she said.

Mayor Arth Bryan Celeste underscored Alaminos City’s reputation as the largest oyster producer in Pangasinan.

“We want to market our product and, hopefully, make it as popular as our Alaminos City longganisa,” he said.

City aquaculturist Mikhaela Tamayo said the city has 1.5 hectares of oyster farms, producing 766 metric tons in 2023 from 266 oyster farmers.

The city has adopted the modified bamboo raft technology introduced by the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI), which makes harvesting easier and improves environmental safety.

Meanwhile, the Miss Hundred Islands beauty pageant has expanded to a regional search, attracting contestants from La Union and Ilocos Sur.
The grand winner will receive PHP500,000, with runners-up and special awardees also receiving cash prizes.

The Hundred Islands National Park remains a major tourist destination, with peak visitor arrivals expected in April and May. (PNA)