PATEROS, still known as the country’s balut capital, is aiming to live up to its label by re-energizing the industry of making fertilized duck egg and possibly setting up a new duck farm. “We may have lost the duck raising industry but the balut-making here in Pateros has been continuous. And we are currently very active in the revival program of our balut industry. I believe that in a year or two, balut will be the main industry of the municipality again,” Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III is quoted in a statement from the Department of Tourism (DoT). A Pateros Balut sa Puti Commission will be formed to handle the revival projects for the industry while discussions are ongoing for establishing the Pateros Duck Farm. The DoT, meanwhile, is helping the town develop its food tourism sector through the promotion of dishes using balut and dark-colored ducks. The DoT is pushing for the inclusion of specialty dishes in the town’s restaurants, local eateries, and catering services. A culinary portfolio featuring the best food finds in every city and municipality in Metro Manila, with balut as the banner cuisine for Pateros, will be published by the DoT-National Capital Region (NCR) office. “Tourism is all about experience. We want the people to experience something authentic so this is it — the balut of Pateros. We want to push the promotion of balut as a community business livelihood and a culinary tourism product,” DOT-NCR Officer-In-Charge Cathy Agustin said. There are still about 20 balut-makers in Pateros and the local government, with the Department of Science and Technology, introduced this year the incubator technology that will improve the yield of the traditional balut making process.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR