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Palawan has been known as home to several indigenous groups who live in the remote villages and coastal areas of the province. One of them, the Molbog tribe, was recently featured on Biyahe ni Drew.

The people of Molbog tribe are believed to be migrants from the Nothern part of Borneo who came to Palawan even before the Spanish came. According to the Ethnic Groups of the Philippines, they are among the early inhabitants of Balabac, Palawan who up to now observe and practice ancient traditions passed on by their ancestors.

Old practice

One of the traditions that are signature Molbog is their dance rituals for prayer, offering, and healing.

"Ang 'pang-alay' ay ginagawa kung may mga okasyon kami, halimbawa may kasal, pasasalamat. Ang ibig sabihin doon, naga-hingi kami sa mga hindi natin nakikita na sana 'wag tayo pakialaman,” a male Molbog native said.

Another dance ritual is called “tarok”. "Halimbawa po, matagal na[ng may sakit], isang lingo na, kahit gamutin po ng mga doctor, o kaya mga albularyo, hindi na gumagaling. Minsan po ginagawan ng ganun[g ritual],” a female Molbog native said.

Native clothing

Aside from dance rituals, another legacy of the ancient Molbog tribe is the process of making clothes or fabrics out of bamboo skin. Sadly, only a few members of the tribe practice this tradition nowadays.

Drew explains: “Sa ngayon, mangilan-ngilan na lamang ang may alam kung paano gumawa nito. Dahil na rin sa modernong teknolohiya, hindi na nila kailangan gumamit ng balat ng kahoy dahil may tela na.

“Nangangamba ang mga Molbog na unti-unti nang malilimutan ang mga pamanang ito ng kanilang mga ninuno. Kaya natutuwa silang ipakita ito sa mga turista para patuloy itong manatili sa kamalayan ng komunidad."

Yummy treats

If dance rituals and bamboo fabrics need special reasons to be performed and produced, the traditional Molbog delicacies -- Ja and Pinyaram -- can be eaten at any time of the day. These two treats are common in Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Borneo, and Malaysia.

To learn more about the Molbog tribe, watch the full episode of Biyahe ni Drew here:

'Biyahe ni Drew' is a popular travel show in the Philippines that takes its viewers on a budget-friendly adventure every week. Watch it every Friday, 8 PM on GMA News TV. Subscribe to youtube.com/gmapublicaffairs for our full episodes.