The ‘busyador’ of Pabellon Island

Busyadores (nest gatherers) scale the high rock faces of Pabellones in Taytay, Palawan to gather the nests of balinsasayaw (swiftlets).

The busyador not only gathers the balinsasayaw nests, but cleans them as well of impurities accumulated inside the caves. A kilo of this delicacy can fetch a price of as much as P170,000 or $2,900.

#ProjectLarawan. Profiles of the Filipino. One portrait at a time.

Project Larawan is an initiative of Gabriel “Gabby” Malvar, a documentary filmmaker, writer and photographer, whose narratives are nuanced with unique, inventive perspectives to provoke an inquisitive look at his favorite subject, the Philippines. Become a part of Filipino identity every other Saturday on the  DAILY TRIBUNE.