‘Biliran’s kakanin may disappear as makers go old’

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February 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The aging population of rice-based food makers and scarcity of ingredients are threatening the existence of kakanin in Biliran province over the next 10 years.

In a policy brief, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said the rice-based food industry in Biliran faces a bleak future, with some products such as manban and kutsinta vanishing in the next decade due to lack of producers and ingredients.

PhilRice researchers conducted in-depth interviews and field visits to map out the landscape of the kakanin industry in Biliran, one of the top rice-producing provinces in Eastern Visayas.

One of the key findings of the study was that almost 60 percent, or 197 of the 332 active kakanin makers in the province are above 50 years old.

“This aging demographic signals a looming decline in production activity as older processors begin to exit the sector,” the PhilRice study said.

“The top reason cited for leaving the industry was the inability to manage their business due to old age and health issues related to aging,” it added.

There are 58 rice-based food processors in Biliran who are already in the 56 to 60 age range while 56 makers were between 51 and 55 years old, according to the study.

There were also 39 kakanin makers who were in the 61 to 65 age bracket, 29 (66 to 70 years old) and eight were 71 to 75 years old.

The study found out that five kakanin makers in the province are already aged 76 to 80 while two are above 80 years old.

The study found out that some kakanin products in the province are highly dependent on old producers. This shows that the craft of producing these culturally valuable food items are not passed on and there is little interest from younger people to continue the industry.

The study pointed out that there are already several culturally significant rice-based delicacies in Biliran that can be considered as “high risk.”

High-risk products are those “heavily” reliant on older producers with little to no participation from younger processors, according to PhilRice. These products are at the “greatest” risk of disappearing in the next decade, it added.

The products classified as high-risk were ampaw, balintawak, espasol, kutsinta, lupak, manban, suman manga, putomaya and sampilot.

“If younger processors do not step in to learn and continue these traditional recipes, these products could quietly disappear within the next decade,” PhilRice said.

One of the most concerning products, PhilRice pointed out, is manban. It is a unique rice-based product that the local government of Cabucgayan aims to make as a flagship delicacy to boost its tourism and economic branding, according to PhilRice.

“However, it currently has only one known active producer, who is also above 50 years old, placing it on the brink of cultural extinction,” it said.

“This situation reflects a broader challenge: even flagship products are not immune to vanishing if they are not intentionally passed on,” it added.

PhilRice estimated that the extinction of the kakanin products that are dependent on old producers may result in an economic loss of at least P57 million for Biliran province. PhilRice argued that the economic threat is “real” and “urgent.”

Meanwhile, PhilRice researchers classified bibingka, biko, moron, puto and suman as having moderate risk. It means that they are dominantly produced by old processors but with a notable number of younger producers, thus, the products can be sustained with proper support and continuity efforts.

The products that were classified as low risk or those that have “better” prospects for long-term continuity due to “stronger” representation of younger producers were binignit, butchi, palitaw, sapin-sapin, suman latik, tikoy, tupig and ube calamay, according to PhilRice.

Another challenge faced by Biliran’s kakanin industry is the scarcity of specific rice varieties used in their products despite the province producing 50 million kilos of palay annually.

“Former processors shared that these varieties are no longer available in the market, indicating they may no longer be cultivated,” it said.

“This supply-side issue disrupts production even for those willing and able to continue the craft,” it added.

To ensure the continuity and development of the traditional rice-based food industry, PhilRice recommended five measures starting with institutionalization of rice-based food processing in both basic and technical-vocational education. This will help to encourage the youth to venture into kakanin production.