Masantol, one of the most historic and religious municipalities in the southernmost part of Pampanga, continues to thrive and emerge as a prominent pride of the province.
Renowned for its thriving seafood industry, Masantol has made a name for itself as a leading exporter of various aquatic delicacies, including shrimp, prawns, crabs, crablets, clams, tilapia, and other fish varieties.
Mayor Danilo Guintu, now in his second term, has even established the Seafoods Festival, celebrated during the summer, to highlight the town’s prosperous seafood market.
“It is our way of promoting our products as we are recognized with the highest supply of seafood not only in Pampanga but the whole of Central Luzon,” Guintu emphasized.
Aiming to become the next top tourism destination in Pampanga, Masantol is preparing to showcase the beauty of the Pampanga River through a river cruise. Inspired by the floating restaurants on the Loboc River in Bohol, Guintu explained that the environmental cruise will feature nearly five kilometers of the Rio Grande leading to the mouth of Manila Bay.
During the cruise, visitors can tour along the river while enjoying native food on small bancas or floating restaurants.
“Home-grown foods and delicacies like our seafood, crab paste, and the well-known buro or fermented fish will be served on our floating restaurants,” Guintu said.
The local government also plans to conduct cultural shows featuring ethnic dances and activities of the Kapampangans, he added.
Besides its aquatic treasures, Masantol is also becoming a haven for thousands of migratory birds that visit the town’s coastline. During the summer, various kinds of migratory birds can be seen flocking along the harbors of Masantol, which mark the border between the Pampanga River and Manila Bay.
To explore this natural beauty, the local government will soon offer bird-watching tours alongside the river cruise during specific times. A platform is also planned to provide the perfect spot for bird enthusiasts and tourists to view the migratory birds.
“We are currently developing and enriching our river in preparation for our biggest tourism project yet,” Guintu stated.
