I just had to see it for myself...

The Villafranca salt farm is located in Nasugbu, Batangas. Making salt is a waiting game and then a back-breaking shove match between man and salt under the afternoon sun.

Water from the ocean is left to sit in shallow beds to evapourate in the hot sun. Over a few days it is moved to a series of other beds to evapourate some more. As it travels from bed to bed, it becomes more and more concentrated.

Salt crystals start to form by the time it reaches the last bed. Workers can then shovel the sea salt into baskets and the marketing process can begin.


The Philippines is known for their mangoes. I personally like to eat green mangoes by dipping pieces into coarse sea salt. Yum!

Coarse sea salt, however, can be sold in the marketplace or to bigger factories to make bogong and patis (salt paste made with tiny shrimp and liquid salt).


The marketplace is so crowded with vendors, but I didn't see too many others who sold salt. Maybe the Villafranca salt farm doesn't have as many competitors as I thought...


Vendors sell everything at the village market from salt to meat, from coffee to toys.