CADIZ City is the dried fish capital of Negros Occidental. It is the number one product of Cadiz City.
The city is an exporter of dried fishes to America and Canada and, likewise, it supplies the demand in the province of Negros Occidental and in the country.
The coronavirus disease pandemic has failed to slow down the production of dried fish in Cadiz as fishing has never been prohibited during the enhanced community quarantine.
But fishermen have to follow the health protocol where they cannot leave their boats until they complete their fishing voyage and undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine when they are up to go offshore, Mayor Salvador 'Bading' Escalante said.
"Fishermen are being required to follow health protocol. They are not allowed to leave their boats. They set up means to transfer their fishes without leaving their boats. But if they are through with their fishing, they are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine," he said.
He further said that despite the Covid-19, the marketability of dried fish remains stable considering that food remains as the major priority of the people in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dried fish vendors supply the market including numerous quarantine centers in the country.
Their best sellers are Danggit, Pusit, Sap-Sap, Fish Tocino and several other dried fish products.
"People will prioritize buying food as they confront the many challenges of Covid-19. A dried fish like Pinakas is enough for a family, " he said.
In Punta Cabahug, Barangay Zone 6, one can breathe in the pungent whiff of dried fishes where their pasalubong and drying centers are located.
But such pungent smell only covers its real delightful taste, said Julius Merabe, a dried fish vendor.
Fried dried fish can be enjoyed during breakfast as an appetizer to your meal.
You can simply dip it in a spicy vinegar and match it with a sunny side-up egg, hot rice and hot brewed coffee, which makes the breakfast truly flavorful.
Dried fish can be used as an ingredient when you cook "Laswa," a healthy vegetable soup or ginataang monggo with langka, a Filipino vegetable stew made from unripe jackfruit mixed in coconut milk and spices, which is among the Negrense favorites.
"We have a pasalubong center in our place. Their best sellers are dried Pusit, Danggit, Fish Tocino, Lawayan or Sap-Sap, Marot and several other products," Merabe said.
In two days' time, they can complete the drying process as long as it is a sunny day, he said.
They produce around 500 kilos a day, he said.
Cadiz City is an hour and a half travel from Bacolod City.