When fishermen in an island in northern Cebu take a break from catching fish

These fishermen are taking a break after spending their morning at sea. | Doris Bongcac

MALAPASCUA ISLAND, Daanbantayan — Fishermen in Malapascua Island  also take a break to celebrate the Holy Week.

Starting on Maunday Thursday, they would no longer go out to sea, said fisherman Guillermo Baman.

Baman, 61, said they would converge at the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados Parish to attend Holy Week activities with their respective families.

When the pandemic hit last year, Baman said, they continued to practice their Maunday Thursday break, but this time, they were already discouraged from converging in Church in compliance with government mandates.

Religious activities such as processions were also suspended.

They just stayed at home to rest and pray on their own.

But they made sure to continue their tradition of preparing binignit on Good Friday.

Baman said that they intended to do the same this year.

With money that he earned from fishing, Baman said he would normally  buy the ingredients like landang, kamote and balanghoy from vendors in the island, who get their supplies from the nearby Leyte province.

A fisherman prepares the kitang that he would use the next day. | Doris Bongcac

Since Malapascua is a fishing community, they do not grow crops on the island.

Instead, they buy from traders in Leyte or in mainland Daanbantayan where they are a part of.

And when Easter Sunday comes, they again head back to the sea to fish and try to recover the income that they lost during their break.

/dbs

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