Barter lives on in Batu-Batu
Every Saturday in the town of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi, the age-old practice of barter comes vividly to life.
I was in Barangay Batu-Batu just in time for Adlaw Pagtabuh-tabuh, a weekly market where trading is done through barter—a system in which goods are exchanged for other goods, rather than for money. It felt surreal to witness something I had only read about in history books now unfolding before me.
Once the capital of Tawi-Tawi, Batu-Batu saw the seat of government transferred to the nearby town of Bongao in the late 1970s. But despite this political transition, the barangay remains a vital hub of local life. Many Sama-Badjaus continue to reside here, while others return regularly on market days.
Batu-Batu is surrounded by fertile lands, dense forests, and rich coastal waters—all vital sources of sustenance and livelihood for the Sama-Badjaus. The quaint barangay—and Panglima Sugala more broadly—continues to serve as an important commercial hub for the province.
Batu-Batu feels timeless, where tradition is not merely preserved but actively woven into the fabric of daily life. Here, barter isn't a staged cultural display, but a functional and enduring mechanism of community exchange and social cohesion.
Tawi-Tawi stands as the Philippines’ largest producer of seaweed, anchoring the livelihoods of many coastal communities across the province. Locally known as agal-agal, seaweed is harvested and either sold fresh—often tossed into vibrant, flavorful salads—or dried and stored in warehouses before being transported to larger markets like Zamboanga City for industrial use.
Both the seafaring and shoreline Sama-Badjaus sail in with wooden boats laden with reef fish, shellfish, and seaweed harvested from the Sulu and Celebes Seas. Likewise, farming Sama-Badjaus from the island interiors bring root crops, vegetables, coconuts, bananas, and other produce to trade.
Transactions are simple and sincere—no cash passes from one hand to another; only goods are exchanged, guided by mutual need, deep trust, and generations of tradition.
