Processed Foods and Seafoods

Processed food is one of the thriving industries in the Province of Capiz. It is visualized that the province would have a dynamic food industry committed to provide quality products where all players are aware and responsive to the emerging markets, trends and global challenges that will sustain economic growth and uplift the standard of living of the Capizeños.

From 2002 to 2008, the industry has significantly provided 1,232 estimated direct employment to the province and an investment of approximately PhP81.76 million. The industry has also posted an accumulated export sales of $49.98 million and domestic sales of P 63.14 million since 2002 to 2007.

Since the processed food industry is perceived as a promising industry that will boost export potential of the province, the following municipalities have prioritized the processed food as their “one town, one product”, Dumarao prioritized processed calamansi, Cuartero for banana chips, Ivisan for coco-based product and muscovado sugar for the municipality of Sigma. 

Given the potentials of the processed food industry, the industry players are confronted by several constraints such as limited access to capital, limited access to technologies and knowledge on current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Total Quality Management (TQM) and inability of the food processors to compete with the multi-national companies, inadequate infrastructure support facilities, absence of common service facilities, weak linkages between producers, processors and traders and lack of information on market trends and development.

Despite these constraints, the province of Capiz is consistently pursuing its target to provide necessary assistance and support to the processed food industry to attain its target to provide employment, increase income and sales (export and domestic) and encourage infusion of fresh capital to expand industry coverage and production capacity.

Another economic base industry in the Province of Capiz with relatively high potentials for contributing to its local economic growth is the processed seafoods which include crab meat, prawn, scallops, oyster meat/sauce and boneless bangus, bottled oyster sauce, canned fish in oil and tomato sauce, dried squid and shrimps, fish tocino, crab meat relleno and crablets.

The processed seafood industry has obtained support of the local government unit and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the “OTOP” concept. The municipalities of Pilar, Pres. Roxas, Panay, Ivisan, Sapian and Roxas City considered this industry as their primary and secondary “OTOP”. (PDPFP, Capiz Province)

Cut Flower

Cutflower and cutfoliage are grown throughout the Philippines but industry players are considered small and have confined only to a few growers. However, for the last few years, awareness on the high return on investments in cutflower and cutfoliage production encouraged more growers to venture on it.

Despite larger area devoted to the industry, growing demand remained unserved because of shortfall in supply. Aside from being dubbed as the “Seafood Capital of the Philippines”, the Province of Capiz is also known as the “Garden Center of Northern Panay Island” because of its thriving cutflower and cutfoliage industry. Since 2003, the total area in the Province of Capiz planted to cutflower and cutfoliage is approximately 400 hectares involving 156 major producers.

The industry export performance in terms of sales is very promising. The export sales grew from $20,000 in 2003 to $33,303 in 2008, while the accounted annual domestic sales was P990,425.00.

The industry estimated total direct employment was 1,043 persons. Indirect employment such as those involved in retailing and flower arrangement has been estimated more than double than those of the direct employment. 

With the increasing demand of the export market, it is projected that the cutflower and cutfoliage industry will likely become one of the major income earner and employment providers in the province of Capiz.

Cut flower a true Capiz product.

Mais (Corn)

In the Philippines, corn and corn products constitute about 4.5 percent of the people’s diet being the country’s second major crop next to rice. White corn varieties serve as staple food for 20 percent of the population while yellow corn is used primarily as main ingredient for poultry and livestock feeds. Increasing demand for feeds is estimated at five – six percent annually due to increasing requirements of the poultry and livestock industries.

From 2002 to 2006, Capiz was able to gain its momentum on corn production. In terms of volume of corn (yellow and white varieties) produced per year, an increase of almost 415 percent was attained, that is, 8,430 metric tons in 2002 to 35,423.60 metric tons in 2006. This gives an average increase in corn production of 6,720.90 metric tons/year.

Physical area devoted for corn production is classified into cluster and non-cluster areas. Cluster corn areas covered a total of 2,800 hectares in 2006 while only 1,960 hectares were maintained in 2007. However, for non-cluster corn areas, the area devoted for corn production has doubled, from 1,571 hectares in 2006 to 3,234 hectares in 2007. Combining the cluster and non-cluster areas for corn production, 2007 area is bigger by 773 hectares than the 2006 area. 

Though, corn industry is promising due to a tremendous increase in demands both for feeds and bio-fuels, major problems like inadequate agricultural infrastructure (dryer and warehouse) and market support facilities and services, high production costs and natural calamity greatly affect the production of corn in the province for the last five years.   

This is one of the Capiz products that all capizenios can be proud of. 

Inzo Arnaldo Village ( the place to be )

Long ago Inzo Arnaldo Village is known as Barangay Kadimahan, after the death of its beloved city mayor Inzo Arnaldo, the people passed a resolution which was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to change the name of the said barangay to Inzo Arnaldo Village in honor of the late mayor of the city. This is where the name Inzo Arnaldo Village started.

There are seven (7) sitios comprising this  barangay namely, Maabiabihon, Mahidaiton, Malipayon, Mapinasensyahon, Mabinuligon, Matinahuron, and  Mahigugmaon. With patron Saints, San Vicente ferrer, San Jose, Santo Nino and Sagrada Familia.

Inzo Arnaldo Village, located at the center of the city with territorial description: North of Barangay III, South of Barangay Baybay, East of Barangay Banica, and West of Barangay Tanque. With a total population of Five Thousand Seven Hundred eighty Nine (5,789) I can say that this is one of the biggest barangay in the city. Its father in the person of Hon. Regalado V. Capapas, barangay captain keeps this barangay free from unwanted threats like drug addiction, Illiteracy, and other crimes. Through Implementation of programs and projects that are timely and useful for the development of its people.  The people in this barangay are comprised by professionals, businessman, college and high school graduates and out of school youth (osy). Businesses and establishments in this barangay pops from corner to corner, to name a few Carols Square Plaza and Superstar Bazaar, Black and White Supermart, La Estrella Merchandising, Inzo Café, Cebrew, Redsun, Area One, and Soul Superclub a testimony that this barangay is one progressive barangay.

Through the years, Barangay Inzo Arnaldo Village has been making progress not only in its infrastructure facilities, but also in its delicacies that most roxasnon love and crave for. Sweet, Sometimes Spicy, Tender and Juicy this maybe a concrete description of what this first delicacy is, the famous Barbecue… The term as a noun can refer to the meat, the cooking apparatus itself (the "Barbecue Grill” or simply "Barbecue") or to a party that includes such food or such preparation methods. The term as an adjective can refer to foods cooked by this method. The term is also used as a verb for the act of cooking food in this manner (Wikipedia).

I don’t know what is in our barbecue that most people love this food. There might be a “GAYUMA” or something that when people eats it, they can’t get over it or maybe it’s because of the people serving it, the love and passion they show in preparing and serving this food makes it attractive and delicious. The cost of this dish ranges from three pesos (P3.00) to ten pesos (P10.00) this varies from “kanto to kanto” or should I say varies from “tindera to tindera”.

The next delicacy is what roxasnon loves to eat after a long day of work. Scrumptious, Sweet, and Healthy, this is usually how I describe this dish.The ever loved BANANACUE. This popular Filipino street food is a skewered fried banana with brown sugar coating. Placed in a stick in a group of two or three this old dish seems to be a favorite of everyone who passed by our barangay.

Delicacies differ from barangay to barangay, from province to province or from city to city. No matter how different or intricate these delicacies are made, the only thing common from all of this is that it makes our faces smile and our tummies full. A true CAPIZ PRODUCT! 

Capiz Shell

Another Capizproduct is what we called the “Capiz shells”. Capiz shells are actually the outer shell of a marine mollusk, whose scientific name is placuna placenta, more commonly called "windowpane oyster", which is found only in the shallow coastal waters of the Philippine and Indonesian island chains. Philippine Capiz seashell are so named because they were originally harvested near the town of Capiz, on the island of Panay. 

Capiz shells are carefully processed to make beautiful Capiz mother of pearl tiles and wall panels, natural wall covering, natural wall surfacing, interior wall covering ideas, shell wall decor, office walling, home wall decoration, capiz shells natural stone covering, wall surface capiz, capiz wall decor and capiz wall papers. Capiz seashells are also use to make beautiful home decor, kitchen decor and kitchen utelsil. Capiz home decor can mae your home and kitchen elegant and luxurious. The round capiz shells called capiz Shell strings and capiz shell strands are use to make Capiz chandeliers, lamps, windchimes and capiz curtains.

Bangros (Chanos chanos forsskal)

Milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal), locally known as "bangus" or "bangos", is the predominant species being cultured in the Philippines . Hundreds of years ago bangus was grown in ponds along coastal areas. That was the beginning of fish fanning. Bangus is a popular table fare among Filipinos. To the biologist, it is an innately sturdy fish, being able to adapt and thrive even in the confined, unnatural environment of the fishpond. This characteristic is not often found in most other fish species.

Bangus is widely seen in Capiz and can be found daily in all market. This fish has been exported not only in the region but in other regions as well. For this very reason,  Capiz Products has been made and has been popularized because of this fish. 

Pasayan (Peneous monodon)

Shrimp farming has been practiced for more than a century for food and the livelihood of coastal people in some Asian countries, such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan Province of China, Thailand and Viet Nam. Penaeus monodon was originally harvested together with other shrimp species from traditional trapping-growing ponds or as a significant by-product of extensive milkfish ponds.

Penaeus monodon mature and breed only in tropical marine habitats and spend their larval, juvenile, adolescent and sub-adult stages in coastal estuaries, lagoons or mangrove areas. In the wild, they show marked nocturnal activity, burrowing into bottom substratum during the day and emerging at night to search for food as benthic feeders. Under natural conditions, the giant tiger prawn is more of a predator than an omnivorous scavenger or detritus feeder than other penaeid shrimp. 

The coastal waters of Capiz constitute one of the richest fishing grounds in the Western Visayas. The very reason why this shrimps can be found abundantly all throughout the province. Exported in and out of the province this marine life can be considered one of Capizproducts.