Irok: Indang’s Local Resource for Business Opportunities

Chapter I

Introduction

This chapter provides a brief overview of the presented study. This chapter

introduces the reader to the scope, problem statement, significance of the study, and

research question, as well as the assumptions, limitations, and delimitation of the

research.

Indang, a first class municipality that is centrally located in the highlands of

Cavite, is tagged as the “Kaong Capital of the Philippines” because of the countless

kaong trees that thrive along its waterways. This rustic university town with a population

of 70,000 is home to the 72-hectare main campus of the 109-year-old Cavite State

University. Indang—with a lofty 380 m (1,247 feet) elevation with a lush rolling terrain

bisected by numerous creeks and streams that are fed by over 80 springs—is the ideal

place for kaong trees to flourish along its tributaries. Sugar palm is a medium-sized palm

growing up to 20 meters (m) tall. Called ‘sugar palm’ in English, it is native to tropical

Asia, from eastern India to Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Also called Irok in

other Southern Tagalog provinces, this solitary palm with a dark fibrous bark that wraps

around its trunk thrives best in places straddling between 300 to 1,000 m above sea level.

Urlanda, R. (2018, May 31). A Peek Into Indang, Cavite's Kaong Industry.
 Irok Festival will be held during November 30 to December 2 in Indang, Cavite.

It is done during the celebration of Indang Day. Float parade, street dancing, sports

activities, lantern contest made out of irok leaves and grand parade is held in the town

plaza.

The topography of Indang is characterized by gently sloping or rolling terrain.

Almost 40.36% of its total land area is within the slope grade of 3-8%, while 2,135

hectares is within the slope range of 8-15% which is characterized by undulating/sloping

terrain. The land elevation range from 230 to 380 meters above sea level. The land area is

furthermore fairy well dissected by numerous creeks and streams that are deeply cut,

characterized by steep and abrupt banks. Rivers, creeks and spring supply the water

needed for both agricultural and households purposes. Municipality of Indang (2018).

Profile of Indang. Retrieved from

https://indang-cavite.ph/for-residents/about-the-lgu/profile/

Local resources are the supply used by a particular place to increase its wealth.

The business opportunity is the potential business that can be made using the present that

can be made using the present product or supply of a place.

The coverage of this study consists of the businessman as the beneficiary and the

society of Indang to become popular because of the Irok products that will be making.

This study will be conducted to determine the possible business opportunity out of irok as

Indangs local resources. To know if these is any emerging business out of irok.

“Since the colonial days, Indang has been producing the much sought after

sukang irok (vinegar) from kaong”, (Arturo C. Erana).”Sukang Irok (vinegar) is the only
existing product out of irok that can be made to introduce specially next year there will be

a feast of irok.

Since the “Irok Festival” will be celebrated this 2020, we decided to conduct a

study because we would like to know if there is any emerging business were its main

product is Irok (sugar palm).

 Statement of the Problem

This study will be conducted to determine the business opportunities out of Irok

as Indang’s local resource. Specifically, the study aims to answer the following question.

1. What are the different products that can be produced out of Irok tree?

2. What are the raw materials used in making those products?

3. What are the utensils and equipment used in making those products?

4. What is the packaging materials used in making those products?

5. What are the marketing strategies will be used to promote products from Irok

tree?

Significance of the Study

This study entitled Irok: Indang’s Local Resource for Business Opportunity” is

beneficial to the following:

Indangeño’s

This study will help the Indangeño’s to have an idea on how they are going to

build and upgrade thier business using Irok as their product and to produce distinctive

product using Irok.

Indang Community

This study will help the Indang Community to become popular because of the

development of Irok as their business and to be widely known as a trader of Irok.

Future Researchers

This study will help future researchers to know what is the the possible business

to be build out of Irok.

Scope and Delimitation

This study was limited only in determining the possible source of business

opportunity using Irok as the local resource of Indang. This study utilized an interview

about is there any existing business of Irok here in Indang. And also to know what is the

possible business out of Irok.

Definition of Terms

Bisected- to divide into two usually equal parts

Solitary- without anyone or anything else; not involving or including anyone or

anything else.

Thrives- to grow vigorously

Sloping- inclined from a horizontal or vertical line.

Undulating- having a smoothly rising and falling form or outline

Distinctive-having a quality or characteristic that makes a person or thing

different from others.

 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

The Irok (Tagalog) or sugar palm (English) is a member of Palmae (palm) family.

This plant commonly grows in the tropical regions. Just like Philippines, Malaysia and

Indonesia. Kaong is a medium-sized palm growing up to 20 meters (m) tall. Called ‘sugar

palm’ in English, it is native to tropical Asia, from eastern India to Malaysia, Indonesia,

and the Philippines. Also called irok in other Southern Tagalog provinces, this solitary

palm with a dark fibrous bark that wraps around its trunk thrives best in places straddling

between 300 to 1,000 m above sea level. A Peek Into Indang, Cavite’s Kaong Industry.

By Randy V. Urlanda October 2015

Kaong or sweet palm is a promising cash crop with potential for the establishment

of plantations or, at the least, for deliberate growing to supplement the natural stands

Kaong is a monoecious solitary palm. The trunk is up to 15-20 m with a diameter of

about 30-40 cm. Leaves are pinnate, up to 8.5 m long. Leaf sheaths with fibrous black

hairs cover the stem. Axillary inflorescences arise singly first from the top and continue

downward until the palm dies. Fruits turn yellow at maturity, having a diameter of about

5 cm. Each fruit has 2-3 seeds. (ICRAF, undated). Also called gomuti and sweet palm

(Arenga pinnata), this plant has multiple uses. Practically all parts, from root to apex, are

useful. In the Philippines, its major product is the sweetened, cooked meat (endosperm)
from young fruits. Average number of fruits per inflorescence is 480. Every tree produces

5,000 to 7,000 seeds. (Ben G. Bareja. 2010) Growing Kaong or Sweet Palm (Arengga

Pinnata)

As the demand for alternative sugars increases, a team of researchers led

by Dr. Lydia Manguiat of DOST-Calabarzon, has found another healthy substitute in

kaong palms (Arenga pinnata). Kaong palms or sugar palms are best known for its fruit

processed into salad ingredient and the popular kaong vinegar. A recent study under the

“Development of Low GI Palm Sugar” Program, researchers found out that kaong sap

contains a GI value of 40 which is five points higher than coco sap sugar. “While a tad

higher compared to coconut sap sugar, kaong sap sugar is still categorized as low GI

foods,” said Dr. Manguiat.

According to Dr. Manguiat, kaong sap sugar has been in existence ever since,

especially in Cavite and Quezon are. It is served as a local delicacy in the form of

pakaskas. “With its distinct caramel taste, the local palm sugar can be developed into a

high-value commodity, as well as its by products,” she added. According to Dr. Lorenzo

Lapitan of Cavite State University, “Kaong palms have a high potential for sugar

production due to the abundance of palms in the country coupled with its high sugar

conversion ratio.”

According to CavSU’s studies, a single kaong plant can produce 2500 liters of sap

which totals roughly to about 1000 kg of sugar per hectare. Similar with the coco sap

sugar, kaong palm sugar is also a very good source of many key minerals and vitamins
including potassium, magnesium, protein, calcium, and iron in beneficial quantities not

present in refined sugars “The program will greatly enhance the palm industry, which can

help our local farmers augment their income as well as providing healthy options to sweet

lovers,” Dr. Manguiat claimed. Aside from kaong, other local palms such as nipa and buri

are being studied for their sugar production potential and other by products such as

syrups and vinegars. Escondo, A. (2013, April 01). Sweet Guilt-free options for

Unhealthy Sugar.

Sugar palm is thought to be indigenous where it is currently where it is currently

distributed, except for the Pacific Islands and a few places in Africa where it has been

introduced. It is thought to have originated in Indonesia, but is now widely distributed

through India, Sri Lanka, Southern China, Southern Asia, New Guinea and Guam. It is

mostly found near villages. It is found growing wild in primary or secondary forest from

sea level to 1200 elevation (Janick and Paull, 2008).

The most popular commercial by-product of the sugar palm is it’s being

sweetened fruit, which is used an ingredient in fruit salads and desserts. Philippines

exports of processed kaong fruit grew annually by an average of 5.3 percent over the last

five years. Bottled kaong preserves are also very popular on the domestic market

particularly during graduation months, fiesta months, and the Christmas season. This only

means that Kaong can be export to other places.

 In fact, taking care of Kaong trees does not need much work and cost. These trees

sprouted naturally from the seeds. According to the rural farmers their spread were

indirectly conducted by the civets which eat the Arenga pinnata fruits, digested them and

discharged them in some places not far from their main trees. That is why commonly the

Arenga pinnata trees are grown in cluster within certain are either a forest or a dry land.

These clusters of Kaong trees are seldom approached by the villagers they try to avoid as

far as possible being injured by their thorn which can cause infected wounds, and can

lead to death. It means that kaong is not very hard to plant because it do not need much

work and cost to plant.

Masano (1989) showed that 85% of kaong seeds taken from the excrement of

civet were successfully germinated and grow while those which were taken from the tree

and directly planted by man only 44% succeeded to germinate and grew. This experiment

is in accordance with the folk believe that it is the Civet which has the role to generate

and spread the Kaong and that is grows only naturally (without the intervention of man).

If It is true that there are some difficulties to plant this tree intentionally, then there is

posiibility that sooner or later the kaong trees comes extinct because of the continuously

clearing away the forest.