Saving Aklan’s Angelwings Clams

by Recto I. Vidal

For several decades now, the supply of “diwae” has drastically decreased due to in-discriminate gathering.

This startling revelation was made by Mr. William B. Castillo, Aklan provincial agriculturist, during a recent Kapehan sa Aklan, a media forum held at the Kusina sa Kalibo.

The large volume of demand by restaurants and hotels of Angelwings Clams locally known as “diwae” and the scarcity of its supply has contributed and caused the prices for this kind of exotic food to reach an astonishing level. A kilo of “diwae” now commands a pricey P400 or more, according to Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan member Soviet Dela Cruz.

Thus, with such large demand and the high price that the “diwae” clams command, said clam is now in grave danger of getting exploited, abused, and endangered.

Ms. Alicia Robelo, aquaculturist II of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources described the Angelwing Clams, Pholas Orientalis, or “diwae” as an indigenous clam that thrives at Brgy. Pook, Kalibo, Aklan.

Also known as “Diwal,” this succulent bivalve clam is a native delicacy, popularly con-sidered as aphrodisiac. Despite being expensive, “diwae” is still being sought in many restaurants and hotels in the world-famous tourists’ des-tination Boracay Island, neighboring provinces and in Metro Manila.

“We have to inculcate among the fisherfolks the value of conservation to sustain their livelihood so that the people may be able to learn from the tragic experience of Roxas City fisherfolks whose diwae resource has since been depleted,” Councilor Soviet dela Cruz told this writer.

Dela Cruz who recently authored an ordinance “enhancing and regulating the collection and gathering of Angelwing clams,” stressed the local government of Kalibo, as steward of our natural resources and vested with the authority to regulate the use and enjoyment of the same, conducted studies, coordinated with other organizations and individuals whose expertise and professional opinion and assessment led to meaningful recom-mendations for the responsible use, enjoy-ment, enhancement and protection of “diwae”.

To make this possible, Dela Cruz’s ordinance calls for an open and closed season in harvesting “diwae”. Closed season refers to the period of the year during which the taking of angelwing clams or diwae is prohibited. On the other hand, an open season is a period in time wherein authorized and accredited fisherfolks are allowed to harvest and gather mature and harvestable angelwing clams. /MP