DOST lends a hand to pakaskas producers

The makers of pakaskas, a sweet delicacy from Verde Island in Batangas attended a training workshop initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to standardize the process and improve quality, consistency, and shelflife of the product.

DOST-Batangas conducted the training for Barangay San Agapito’s Pakaskas Producers.

Pakaskas is made from liquefied palm sugar molded in oval-shaped dried palm leaves called kasitas.

San Agapito is one of six barangays on the island, which has a population of over 7,000.

For the training, DOST Batangas coordinated with the Batangas City’s Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services (OCVAS) and the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) – University of the Philippines Los Baños.

The workshop focused on the process standardization of pakaskas, production of pakaskas cubes, pakastillas (pakaskas pastillas), yema de pakaskas, pakaskas sandwich spread, pakumbo de pakaskas, pakaskas coco jam, and pakaskas sugar.

IFST experts Claire S. Zubia and Romel M. Felismino had earlier observed the traditional process for making pakaskas. They learned from Nestor Delgado, who makes pakaskas with his wife, there is a need to prolong the product’s shelf life. Delgado said that during the rainy season their products last for just about a week.

Packaging techniques were also demonstrated to the pakaskas producers under a grant-in-aid project.

Among the objectives of the project were to process buri sugar into cubes and to vacuum pack the traditional pakaskas sealed off in kasitas.