CARIGARA, Leyte — For Adela Oballo, 78, the aroma of steaming coconut rice is more than just a scent—it is a memory, a livelihood, and a legacy. On December 9 Oballo joined six veteran suman makers at Carigara’s public plaza for the town’s first-ever Suman Festival, organized by the Carigara Cultural Heritage Society (CCHS). The festival aimed to celebrate and revive the traditional craft of suman-making, a delicacy that has been slowly fading from the interest of younger generations.
“I am glad that they organized this festival,” Oballo said. “We hope it will not only rekindle young people’s interest in suman but also in how it is made, its traditions, and the joy behind it.”
Oballo, a resident of Barangay Silago, more than five kilometers from the town proper, lamented that even her own children and grandchildren have largely lost interest in the craft, despite it being passed down by her mother when she was just 10 years old. “They don’t want to spend long hours making suman; they prefer office work or other modern jobs,” she said.
Yet, for Oballo, suman-making has long been more than just tradition—it has been a means of livelihood. She has six children, all of whom she was able to send to college by selling suman, first within her neighborhood and later in Carigara’s public market.
Preparing suman, a Filipino delicacy made of glutinous rice steamed in coconut milk, is a labor-intensive process. It can take almost a full day—from gathering and preparing the ingredients, including sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar, salt, and banana leaves, to cooking and wrapping each piece. The rice must be soaked for at least three hours before cooking, which itself takes about an hour. Oballo adheres to traditional methods, even using coconut husks to cook the rice over fire.
“And of course,” she said with a smile, “while cooking suman, you should always be happy and positive. They say food made with joy tastes better—and it’s true.”
A batch of suman typically requires around P400 for ingredients, but Oballo can earn more than double that, depending on the number of pieces she produces—often more than a hundred in a day.
For Myla Aguilar, founding president of the CCHS, the festival is a way to reintroduce suman to younger generations while supporting those who still practice the craft. “Carigara is known across the region for the best suman, yet young people seem not to appreciate it,” she said. “This is part of our cultural heritage, and it’s important to keep it alive,” Aguilar, who is also a municipal councilor, added.
Aguilar added that the festival also showcases modern techniques that can help suman makers improve production and marketability. The local government is on board. Mayor Eduardo Ong, Jr., expressed his support for the initiative and pledged assistance to suman makers. “We will coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry to help our suman makers adopt new technologies, like increasing the shelf life of suman, and expand their market,” he said.
Even today, suman remains a cherished gift for Carigara residents who live or work outside the town, often brought home as pasalubong for friends and family—or as a taste of home that carries both flavor and tradition.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
