ROXAS CITY (20 July) -- At the height of the first-ever Diwal Festival of this city last week, some festivalgoers to the evening seafood festival complained that the food outlets at the plaza ran out of diwal in various concoctions.

Either the concessionaires might just have underestimated the number of people that would flock to the foodfest or there was really a low supply of the exotic edible bivalve, whose scientific name is Pholas orientalis.

Assuming the second possibility holds more weight, people might ask if the comeback of the succulent and sweet-tasting diwal is really a permanent thing, which means it would now be available, albeit on a seasonal basis.

It was Roxas City mayor Antonio Del Rosario who declared that diwal has returned in considerable number in local municipal coastal waters and this should be welcomed and celebrated through a festival as what took place from July 15-16, 2005. The event was entitled, “Diwal Harvest – Roxas City’s Seafood Festival.”

The chief city executive attributed this to the successful study conducted by the Institute of Aquaculture of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) at a time when diwal was in danger of disappearing due to destructive methods used by commercial fishers.

Certain environmental factors were also blamed for the near decimation of the local diwal population particularly in Barangays Punta Cogon, Libas and Barra. Diwal also thrives in the coastal waters of the towns of Panay and Pontevedra.

The basic study was conducted from 1994 to 1997 involving and with the support of not only Roxas City in Capiz but also selected areas in Iloilo and Negros Occidental. The Department of Agriculture also assisted the study through its Fisheries Sector Program.

It involved mainly the transplanting of diwal in earstwhile populated areas in an attempt to rehabilitate them. In Roxas City, Brgy. Punta Cogon became the site of the study.

In the course of the study, the city government declared a moratorium on the gathering of diwal to allow known habitats and breeding grounds to restore themselves.

Diwal is known by its English name “angelwings” or “chicken-of-the-sea.” Owing to its exotic taste and claim of its being an aphrodisiac, diwal became popular not only locally but also in posh Manila hotels and restaurants.

Despite the success of the initial UPV study, its marine scientist who conducted the work, Dr. Liberato Laureta recommended a number of steps to sustain diwal production.

Among these are municipal management of the resource to include deciding on when to ban and open the harvest of the bivalve, strict enforcement on the ban on trawling and dredging in municipal waters, establishment of fisherfolk cooperatives who would closely protect and manage the resource, seed dispersal, refinement of hatchery techniques, stock enhancement, and transplantation of broodstocks.

Dr. Laureta acknowledged diwal’s juicy and unique flavor and the high demand for it in the market.

Sadly enough, however, Dr. Laureta stressed that this is also the major factor that resulted to the rapid depletion of diwal in its traditional grounds.

He pointed out the prospect for diwal as an industry is bright provided diwal grounds would be sustainably rehabilitated, further research is conducted and recommended management strategy is adopted.

Del Rosario said diwal is a source of livelihood for many small fisherfolk in the city’s coastal barangays particularly Punta Cogon, Libas and Barra, which are known diwal grounds.

The diwal festival organized by city was also meant to promote the tourism value of diwal since the city mayor believed it would attract visitors to Roxas City just to savor the bivalve’s exotic flavor and take time to visit the areas where it thrives.

He added that the recent festival was a success because it focused attention on the value and importance of diwal.

And as an apparent answer to skeptics over the long-term prospects of diwal, he stressed that the city government will take steps to sustain and preserve diwal.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Edwin Trompeta, who graced the festival together with his wife, DILG Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta, commended the city government and its city tourism office for organizing the festival.

Trompeta said the festival did not only promote a new tourist attraction but also highlighted the importance of sound environmental management in the development and preservation of a valuable natural resource such as diwal.

During a visit to the actual diwal grounds at Punta Cogon to witness a harvest activity, Trompeta told the city mayor and other officials: “Underneath your coastal waters is a gold mine of diwal.” (PIA-JSC)