MASANTOL, Pampanga – Outside the coastal areas of the province, but a few, if any, could make out the word “palapat.” Or for that matter “Bulacus,” where it abounds.
A species of mangrove, palapat – “perapat” in Malay – bears the scientific name sonneratia alba, known as mangrove apple in English. Still, virtually unknown appellations.
Bulacus is a remote coastal barangay of Masantol, accessible only by boat from the town proper.
This October 11 – from 7 in the morning – both tree and barangay are bound to hit the provincial, if not the national, consciousness with the initial holding of the eponymous Palapat Festival, a street dancing revelry and a cook-fest of food stuff out of the palapat fruit. Yes, it is as edible, as it is beautiful.
It all came about with the pastoral movement effected by the Archdiocese of San Fernando last May, with the assignment to the barangay’s Holy Rosary parish church of Fr. Elmer Salonga, himself not so knowledgeable of his new post.
“Saan ang Bulacus?” people asked me, and all I could give was the rudimentary answer, it is in Masantol,” recalled Salonga.
The first thing that caught his eyes upon getting to Bulacus on a motor banca were the abundant mangroves laden with so much fruits, said the priest.
Asked what the trees were, the boatman said palapat, and briefed the priest of their multiple roles in coastal community life.
First of course was the safety of the community from storm surges, acting not only as wind- but also as wave-breakers.
The branches are traditionally festooned as Christmas trees too.
“Napag-alaman ko rin na marami palang pwedeng gawin sa bunga ng palapat, gaya ng sawsawan, juice, pang-sinigang, candy, jam, buro, pati cookies,” Salonga said.
On reflection, Salonga saw the perfect palapat-Bulacus symbiosis: “’Yung halaman hindi man kilala ng ibang tao, parang ang parokya ng Sto. Rosario. Napakabait nila, madasalin pero hindi masyadong alam ang lugar… sinisimbolo ng palapat ang mga tao dito sa parokya, kahit binabaha na sila nakangiti pa rin sila, at may malalim na pananampalataya sa Sto. Rosario.”
It is something worth knowing to the people outside the coastal and riverine enclaves. That, he said, captured the essence of the Palapat Festival.
