CATANDUANES: ABACA CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES
ABACA HISTORY To understand the history of the abaca is to understand the history of the Philippines and its colonial past. Pigafetta, the Spanish chronicler of Magellan’s historic voyage to the Philippines in 1521, wrote the first account of abaca use. When the Spaniards arrived on Philippines shores, indigenous Filipinos were already wearing clothes made of abaca fibre. A historian confirmed that abaca is indigenous to the Philippines in the 1800s. He also noticed extensive plantations of the plant on the island of Luzon, particularly in Bicolandia, a long peninsula stretching southeastwards of the Philippines. THE TOP PRODUCER OF ABACA IN THE PHILIPPINES: CATANDUANES The House of Representatives has declared Catanduanes as the abaca capital of the Philippines. Catanduanes is recognized as the country’s biggest producer of abaca fiber in the country, thus deserving the title “Abaca Capital of the Philippines” Considering Catanduanes as the top producer of aba...