TABLEA CHOCOLATE

POR DIOS POR SANTO SAN JACINTO. When I visited family in my sleepy hometown of San Jacinto in Pangasinan, we discovered a sweet surprise. An old farmer actually from the next barangay, one who has 200 trees growing in his backyard, one who makes TABLEA CHOCOLATE the traditional way. Before this, we are able to source Tablea only occasionally, only in small amounts, from Mindoro island. How in the world did we not know this, quality tablea can be had not 4 kilometers from where I grew up! Por dios por Santo, how flabbergasted, how pleased I am. RuRi’s this Tablea is different, better different. It is not bitter, it is on the light-sweet side actually, one that it is more suited for a younger palate. So wow, so enjoyable. If you like the taste of Milo, this is Milo but much more delicious.

The story of the affable man who is growing it—his name is Juanito Cayabyab— is a colorful one. Twenty five years ago, Lolo Juanito lost his job at the Marcopper Mines in Marinduque after it was shuttered for causing the worst environmental disaster in Philippine history. 1.6 million cubic meters of toxic mine tailings leaked into nearby villages and poisoned the Boac River forever. Manong Juanito returned home to eek a living by driving a borrowed tricycle. One day, at a remote barangay, he saw a fruiting cocoa tree by the roadside. He managed to convince the owner to sell him five pod for the grand sum of 5 pesos each. Fast forward to the present day, Mang Juanito has parlayed those pods into trees. Two hundred fully mature and fruiting trees to be exact, they now provide him an income for his old age. What a success story, one that is literally about finding the “seeds of opportunity”. How inspired I am to write this.

SNAP BUY SAN JACINTO TABLEA. We are looking for 50 Rural Rising Members to enjoy SEVEN (7) ROLLS of Tablea Chocolate for P550. This is to help Lolo Juanito Cayabyab of San Jacinto, Pangasinan.