Farming “Sisi” In Bacolod City
On weekends and holidays, a popular resort frequented by natives and visitors alike of Bacolod City, the “City of Smiles,” is Punta Taytay beach in Sum-ag. Among the amenities enjoyed in the place is the much-relished sisi – the locally cultured oyster species.
Sisi (Crassostrea palmites) is smaller compared to the more common talaba (C. iredalei and C. malabonensis) grown in many coastal areas of the country like those in the Ilocos, Cagayan and Cavite. Unlike the culture of talaba which uses stakes (tubs) and hanging clutches (bitin), the sisi grows on rocks to which its young attach.
While the traditional method of farming sisi in Punta Taytay was with rocks on the sea bottom near the shoreline, the improved method currently practiced is with raised bamboo beds or papag. The latter method has increased productivity of the oyster by enhancing its attachment area, growth, and protection from its bottom-dwelling predators. Although the elevated beds entail more cost, they are compensated for by the better quality of the produce and the higher income derived.