BULARAN MAKING

Bularan making is a traditional fish-drying practice in Barangay Tanza, Estancia, Iloilo, where bamboo racks are built along the coast to preserve fish for consumption and sale. Originating in the 1970s with the growth of the local fishing industry, it remains a vital part of daily life and the local economy. The process involves cleaning, salting, and sun-drying fish mainly anchovies and sardines, on racks called kapil, then selling them at home or the dried fish market. Knowledge of bularan construction is passed informally through generations, as youth learn by helping elders. Though still widely practiced, bularan making faces challenges from rising costs of materials and climate related damage like typhoons and sea level rise.