Harvesting mangoes, as they say, is an art that calls for precision and expertise. Sifting through rows of mango trees with a long pole from which a small “basket” is hanging is a job that requires the right push and the right angle to pick a single fruit and drop straight to the basket—or if you are inexperienced like me, sometimes it falls to the ground.
We got to experience it for ourselves, harvesting mangoes right at the heart of a major township development—Megaworld’s Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City.
“It’s really the idea of our chairman Dr. Andrew Tan to grow mango trees in the township because Cebu is best known for its mangoes,” said Noli Hernandez, Megaworld Cebu Properties, Inc president.
The 30-hectare township started its development in 2009, and about that time also planted 210 mango trees along Newtown Boulevard, the main road that traverses the property.
MEGAWORLD Cebu Properties, Inc. president
Noli D. Hernandez (right) with Lapu-Lapu
City tourism officer Hembler Mendoza leads
the harvesting of mangoes along the Mango boulevard at the heart of The Mactan Newtown.
After almost eight years, many of the mango trees have grown, producing fruits that are ready for harvest in the months of May and June.
This year’s harvest reached more than 900 kilos of mangoes. Our haul was a basketful of sweet treats, some mangoes still green, which we sliced and ate with bagoong to complement our dinner at the Mactan Alfresco.
Megaworld plans to create its own “Mango Festival” every year to celebrate the harvest season as the company is already in talks with the local government to include it in the tourism events of Lapu-Lapu City.
Hernandez hopes that with the cultivation of the trees, more fruits may be harvested for the annual “Mango Festival” as some trees have to be “strengthened” considering the ongoing construction in some areas.
“This will be a major tourist attraction because of the popularity of Cebu mangoes,” he said, adding that progressive developments can flourish hand in hand with the tradition and culture.
Surely, this will be a boon to future residents, workers, tenants, and visitors of the township.