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Thank you so much for your interest in donating to our advocacy! Your donation will be used for food heritage research, field work expenses, website hosting and maintenance, and the like so that I can continue sharing our different local food cultures and ingredients.
Batangas
Paho
Around the peak months of March and April, a highly-prized fruit called Paho (Mangifera monandra) starts to appear in public markets in Batangas. It is tiny native mango species that usually prepared as ensalada or pickle.
Please take note that the vernacular name “Paho” is shared by different species of mango such as Mangifera altissima, Mangifera foetida, Mangifera pajang, and perhaps some varieties of Mangifera indica.
Paho (Mangifera monandra) is a mango species that is small, has peculiar aroma, and doesn’t turn yellow. It is usually eaten unripe.
Paho is often confused with another small mango species called Paho/Pahutan/Pahuhutan (Mangifera altissima). The latter is known for being fibrous and extremely sweet when ripe.
In addition, aside from Mangifera altissima, Paho is also the vernacular name for Mangifera pajang ang Mangifera foetida in Palawan. Paho is also the vernacular name of some varieties of Mangifera indica.
Paho is highly associated with Batangas. However, paho also grows in Mindoro and Laguna (and probably elsewhere in the Philippines).
Paho is one of the lesser known mango species in the archipelago. Carabao mango and its varieties dominate the Philippine markets. Other Philippine mangoes are: Baluno (Mangifera caesia), Wani (Mangifera odorata), Pahutan (Mangifera altissima), Pali (Mangifera laurina), etc.
According to paho farmers (called mangpapaho), a single paho tree can produce 10,000 to 50,000 mangoes.
Despite the small size of the fruit, a paho tree has a towering height. A mangpapaho (who are usually males) carefully climbs the tree just to harvest the fruits.
According to them, it will take decades for a pajo tree to become fruit-bearing.
The farmers spray or smoke the paho trees around November. Fruiting starts around January and peaks around March and April.
Aside from climbing the gargantuan trees, tying the paho into bundles is an arduous task.
Untied paho.
Farmers don’t harvest the paho without bulk orders because the fruit’s quality deteriorates after picking. Extra harvested paho mangoes are called Palilyo.
A basket of paho ready for dispatch.
Paho vs the size of palm.
Paho is usually pickled or prepared as ensalada, with onions, tomatoes, salted egg, and patis from sinaing na tulingan. Bagoong or alamang can also be used.
How to prepare paho:
Wash the fruits thoroughly
Slice into half and remove the seed
Slice it into smaller pieces
Soak and wash in water with salt to remove the sap.
Drain.
During the peak season, paho is abundant in Batangas markets such as in Lipa City Public Market.
Depending on the size, paho can cost 20 pesos to 100 pesos per bundle. Sometimes, paho is sold per piece. The cheapest paho are the smallest ones and those that are not attached to the clusters.
Season also affects the price of paho. Paho is expensive during January, a piece can cost 12 to 15 pesos each. The price drops during the peak season.
To maximize the profit, sellers and farmers turn the paho into buro or pickle during the end of March and first week of April.
More paho in Lipa City Public Market.
Ensalada with paho, bagoong balayan, sibuyas tahalog, and kamatis.