By: Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
The Bitter Taste of Inflation: Kamunggay, the Great Equalizer
It’s a familiar refrain: “Pastilan, unsaon naman ni nato?” (Oh dear, what are we going to do?) The rising cost of living has become a never-ending topic of conversation among Filipinos, and this time, it’s the soaring prices of fish and vegetables that are causing distress. The humble kamunggay tree, a staple in many households, has become a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of economic hardship. Yes, kamunggay maoy madali-dali kay ang bolinaw P200 ang kilo, tamarong P300, burot-burot P280, tulingan P280. Unsaon naman ni nato? How are we going to make do with our budget?
I miss those days when bolinaw is P25 per Caltex container. Ang tulingan in my younger days hapit na ipanghatag. We knew that the catch was plenty kay motingug na ang bugjong. Motumod na ang sakayan nga likomlikom, ug P10 ang usa ka basket. At that time dili pa kilo-kilo ang takos kay tapok-tapok lang ug tuhog-tuhog. Ang tinap-an tulingan wa pay piso. Tinap-an on the roadside was plenty. Kahumot sa aso gikan sa tinap-an. But now, the prices of fish would be enough to make anyone’s budget cry. Ngano kaha pud no nga sukad gi kilo-kilo na ang mga utanon ug isda hasta bugas wa na man undang ug saka ang presyo.
And the good species of fish? We seldom see them now. The ambulant fish vendors are hesitating to carry them for fear nga dili mahalin. The lowly tamarong has been the flavour for the last two years. Tamarong is cheaper compared to the tulingan. Imagine ang tinapan tulingan tag P75 na.
We now have the hesitation to eat the til-ogon kind of fish. Sometimes, we are tempted to go the shores during low tide to gather the aninikad unya butangan ug kamunggay. Ug magkalisud, nilaw-oy ra gyud. But if we eat such kind of “menu” everyday, we tend to ask: Dili kaha ko mabukog aning kamungay?
That’s why I say that I am fortunate to have several kamunggay trees with few mounds of tangad. Kamunggay and Tangad are a good pair. But there’s a big but here. Those who would ask for tangad from our backyard will never hesitate to uproot the entire mound. Nganong dili man lang nila putlon ang dahomn. Nganong dili man pud sila ka tanom ug tangad?
Going back to the tamarong: it has become a symbol of what’s happening in our society today – the right and the wrong. Tama for right and rong for wrong. Is there a hope for prices of commodities to go down?
People with a lot of money will never get stuck with a bone of kamunggay in their throat. Dili gyud na sila mabukog sa kamunggay. Their money could buy them steaks, salmon, tangigue, iberian ham, and all the branded names. Luoy pud ta no?
But amidst despair, there’s a sense of community and resourcefulness that’s hard to ignore. People are turning to their local markets, where the catch of the day is still plentiful, and the prices are relatively more manageable. The lowly tamarong, once a staple in many households, including the kamunggay, has become a symbol of survival.
Do we have hope amidst our poverty? Ask the kamunggay tree.