Efren Salinas | Photo by Doris Mondragon
CEBU, Philippines—Can making dried fish be able to send five children to college?
Apparently, it can. Efren Salinas is a living proof to that.
Salinas is one of the dried fish makers in the town of Medellin in the northern most tip of Cebu.
Salinas has been making the Filipino favorite dried fish locally called ‘buwad’ for more than 20 years now.
The business, which started small, eventually grew through the years of hard work and risk.
Salinas shared with CDN Digital that he started the business with his wife.
From their earnings from selling dried fish, they were able to raise six children and even send them off to college.
“Mao gyod ni panginabuhian namo diri. Nya kalooy sa Ginoo nakapahoman nako og mga anak pud ani. Ako anak unom nya lima ang nahoman,” said Salinas, a 62-year-old native of Mahawak in Barangay Kawit, Medellin.
(This is really our means of livelihood here. With God’s grace, I was able to let my children finish school. I have six children, five have completed school.)
He said that one of the challenges in this type of business is the inclement weather, which affects the demand from loyal customers in Leyte, Bohol, and the Taboan Market in Cebu City.
Salinas finds himself blessed with a wide variety of fish and favorable weather in this part of Cebu.
But this part of Cebu is what is most often visited by typhoons that bring heavy rains, causing massive damage to businesses like Salinas’ dried fish.
Two weeks ago, Typhoon Agaton brought heavy rains over the northern portions of Cebu for a week, causing damage to the business of Salinas. According to him, the loss was pegged at P100,000.
“Nangalabay man namo ang uban, unya ang oban gipanglubong namo kay giulod na,” he added.
(We threw away some while some we buried because there were already worms present.)
But just like the changing weather, Salinas is hopeful the tides would soon turn in their favor.
/bmjo
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