Asin Tibuok

Tan Inong Manufacturing

Preserving a Tradition the World Almost Lost

We are Tan Inong Manufacturing, the family behind Asín Tibuok, Bohol's ancient handcrafted salt and one of the Philippines' most endangered culinary traditions.

Our Story

In the small coastal town of Alburquerque, Bohol, there was once a salt-making tradition so old it predates Spanish colonization. For generations, local families called asinans crafted Asín Tibuok, a smoky, orb-shaped sea salt made through a painstaking, week-long process of soaking, burning, filtering, and boiling. It was more than food. It was currency, community, and culture.

Then, slowly, it began to disappear.

By the early 2000s, the craft had nearly vanished, replaced by commercial salt and abandoned by a world moving too fast to tend an open flame for eight hours. The knowledge, the clay pots, the kamaligs (salt workshops), all of it was on the edge of being lost forever.

Our family refused to let that happen.

Tan Inong Manufacturing was founded with a single, stubborn conviction: that some things are worth saving, no matter how hard. Starting in 2010, we committed ourselves to reviving the traditional production of Asín Tibuok in Alburquerque, learning from the elders who still remembered, rebuilding the kamaligs, and slowly, carefully, bringing this extraordinary salt back to life.

It has not been easy. But it has been worth every flame-tended hour.

What Makes Asín Tibuok Different

Asín Tibuok is not like any salt you have tasted before.

Every orb is made by hand using a pre-Hispanic method that takes weeks from start to finish, coconut husks soaked for months in mangrove saltwater, harvested, sun-dried, and burned in a carefully controlled fire while sea water is poured continuously over three days. The resulting salted ash is filtered into a dense brine, then poured steadily into handmade clay pots over an open wood fire for eight uninterrupted hours.

The result is a one-kilogram sphere of salt with a subtly smoky, slightly sweet flavor unlike anything produced by modern methods. It is not just an ingredient. It is a craft object, edible heritage.

Our Mission

We exist to do three things:

Preserve. Keep the traditional technique of Asín Tibuok alive by practicing and documenting the craft as it has been done for centuries.

Sustain. Support the local community in Alburquerque by creating meaningful livelihood rooted in cultural pride, not in abandoning it.

Share. Bring Asín Tibuok to Filipino households, international kitchens, and anyone who believes that food can carry a story worth knowing.

Tan Inong Manufacturing is a family-owned and operated corporation, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines. We are proud of our roots and serious about our responsibility to the tradition we carry.

Asín Tibuok has survived centuries. With your support, it will survive many more.

When you order from Tan Inong Manufacturing, you are not just buying salt. You are choosing to keep a tradition alive, support a community in Alburquerque, and carry a piece of Bohol's heritage into your home and kitchen.

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About us

Company Name: Tan Inong Manufacturing Corporation

Main Product: Asin Tibook

Address: Purok 4, East Poblacion, Alburquerque, Bohol, Philippines

Company Overview:

Tan Inong Manufacturing is a family-owned company dedicated to preserving the traditional art of salt making. Located in the picturesque town of Alburquerque, in Purok 5 of East Poblacion, the company is deeply rooted in the local culture and heritage.

Asin Tibook:

The pride and centerpiece of Tan Inong Manufacturing is their flagship product, "Asin Tibook." Asin Tibook represents the essence of centuries-old salt-making traditions passed down through generations. The name "Asin Tibook" reflects the rich Filipino heritage associated with salt production.

Tan Inong Manufacturing is committed to preserving these time-honored techniques while producing high-quality salt for local and regional markets. Asin Tibook serves not only as a premium culinary ingredient but also as a symbol of cultural heritage and sustainable craftsmanship.

With its domicile address in the heart of Alburquerque, Tan Inong Manufacturing welcomes visitors to experience the magic of traditional salt making and learn about the cultural significance of Asin Tibook. The company's mission is to continue sharing this culinary treasure with the world while supporting the local community and its traditions.

Asin Tibook is a salt from Albuquerque, Bohol, Philippines on the brink of extinction. It is made using a labor-intensive, pre-Hispanic method of production that coincided with the rice harvest. Traditionally, once the salt pots were made, salt-makers would barter them for kilos of rice grains.

The process starts with hundreds of coconut husks soaked for three months in saltwater pools by the mangrove. These husks are then harvested, sliced lengthwise into small pieces, sun-dried for a day or two and then burnt in a highly controlled manner by regularly pouring sea water into the burning heap for three days leaving highly concentrated salty ashes. The ashes are placed in large filters. Seawater is poured through the ashes, leaching the salt to make a very highly concentrated brine.

Specially made clay pots are placed over a wood fire. The concentrated brine is poured continuously for eight hours into the bubbling pots leaving salt sediments as the boiling brine evaporates. The salt-maker keeps a close eye on evaporation, as the pots will crack if not filled. The result is a smoky orb that weighs roughly a kilo.

The asin tibook may be cracked and grated (traditionally, pieces were dipped into soup or rice pouridge and rinsed before storing).

Enjoy the slightly sweet and smoky taste.

Tan Inong Manufacturing is committed to preserving time-honored techniques while producing high-quality salt for local and international markets.

Asin Tibook

Cultural

Kabilin

Get in Touch

Our team

This dual commitment to individual uniqueness and family bonds can create a rich and supportive environment for preserving and passing down the valuable traditions and knowledge associated with salt-making. It's evident that our team understands the significance of cultural heritage and is dedicated to its continuation, ensuring that future generations can benefit from this unique aspect of Alburquerque's history and heritage.

CRIS MANONGAS

Founder / CEO

VERONICA SALUPAN

Operation-in-Charge

2016 to PRESENT

2010 TO PRESENT

NESTOR MANUNGAS

Production in Charge

2010 to PRESENT

MYLENE ABUAN

Sales Associate

2022 to PRESENT

RENANTE MANUNGAS

Co-Founder / Admin Support

2010 to PRESENT

renante.manungas@asintibook.com

cris.manongas@asintibook.com

Our Company profile

"As we grow as a family-bonded company, many claim that they are the original, and we are not. However, documents will tell the truth that we are serious about preserving the legacy of our forefathers."

Our family attempts to revive, invigorate, and sustain the otherwise dying industry by using pieces of machinery and applying modern technology whenever possible at the same time retaining traditional basic techniques of production.

" Being the "original" salt maker is not always the most important goal. What matters is the passion and commitment to maintaining our traditions and passing them down through generations. Our dedication to the craft and the preservation of our unique heritage is a valuable contribution in itself."

"Our family corporation is registered with both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Beauru of Internal Revenue (BIR) for tax purposes, and we have addressed all legal matters, including obtaining the necessary business licenses to operate and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval.