I was in Camiguin two weeks ago. There is only one fruit that stands out in this area. Lanzones fruit, which popularly grown in Laguna, Camiguin, Sulu, Davao del Norte, and Zamboanga del Norte. Lansium domesticum is the scientific name. There are festivities have been organized to promote lanzones production to promote Lanzones production in the country, like Paet-Taka-Lanzones Festival in Paeta, Laguna every September. But it is in Camiguin, Northern Mindanao, where Lanzones Festival is celebrated every third week of October. It is being highlighted during streets dancing, which participants are dressed and decorated with lanzones fruits and leaves in colorful costumes. Their houses and street poles are decorated too.
Lanzones is now considered as priority high value crop in the Philippines. It is delightfully sour and sweet taste. Just don’t bite the seed for it tastes bitter. Nutritionists say the fruit is rich in Vitamin A, which helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes and skin. It is also contains carotene, a powerful oxidant which plays a basic role in protecting cells from radicals associated with many medical disorders.
While we were there we bought some and were eating while on tour. I noticed the skin of the fruit grown on Camiguin is thinner than what we usually eat in Manila.
Visit Camiguin, it’s a small province but exciting to explore, too many things to offer.
