NOVELETA, Cavite — Beneath the scorching sun and the salty breeze of Manila Bay, 63-year-old Rolando “Kuya Olan” Palustre continues a craft he has practiced for nearly half a century: salt-making.
For 45 years, Palustre has tended his one-hectare salt bed, locally called an “irasan,” producing sea salt that has sustained his family of nine. The salt fields have long been their livelihood, but the work is far from easy.
Seasonal Work, Lifelong Dedication
Salt production in Noveleta typically runs only from February to June, when the summer heat evaporates seawater into crystals. Once the rains arrive, production halts, forcing many salt farmers to shift to milkfish farming to survive.
A sack of salt today sells for about ₱300, but Palustre says the greater challenge is not the income — it is the rapid decline of salt farms in the town.
A Vanishing Tradition
Salt beds once lined the coastal areas of Noveleta, but many have disappeared due to changing weather patterns and land development, as former salt lands were converted for other uses.
Today, only three salt beds remain in the entire municipality.
“Ang pag-aasin ay hindi madaling trabaho. Kailangan dito ang tiyaga at sipag. Sana ay patuloy itong suportahan at huwag pabayaan, dahil ito ang kabuhayan at kultura namin,” Palustre said.
Heritage in Every Grain
Despite the challenges, Palustre remains determined to preserve the tradition. For him, every grain of salt harvested is more than just food seasoning — it is a symbol of Cavite’s coastal heritage and the perseverance of its people.
As modern livelihoods emerge and salt farms vanish, Palustre’s dedication ensures that the salt-making legacy of Noveleta endures.
And as the sun rises over the remaining salt beds, the shimmering crystals stand as a quiet reminder of a cultural tradition that a handful of farmers continue to keep alive. ##
Written by: Sid Samaniego