Cover From salt fires to marble veins, the Philippines’ rare crafts echo HSBC’s 150-year legacy of connection and care—reminding us that true foundations are built on patience and purpose (Photo collage: Jon Hipe)
From salt fires to marble veins, the Philippines’ rare crafts echo HSBC’s 150-year legacy of connection and care—reminding us that true foundations are built on patience and purpose (Photo collage: Jon Hipe)
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‘Rich Rarities: Salt and Marble’ by Tatler and HSBC explores the rare crafts of Asin Tibuok and sustainable marble, reflecting HSBC’s heritage, integrity and care in shaping enduring progress
At once elemental and eternal, salt and stone teach us that what endures is forged through patience and care.
When Tatler, in partnership with HSBC, travelled to Alburquerque, Bohol, we found a heritage practice at risk of disappearing. The Asin Tibuok, a rare artisanal salt once bartered for gold, is produced through a months-long ritual of fire, ash and sea. Coconut husks are soaked in seawater, dried and burned as brine filters through the ashes. The mixture is boiled in clay pots until only crystalline salt remains, hardened into smoky, mineral-rich orbs more commonly known as “eggs of salt.”
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Above Each Asin Tibuok begins with hundreds of coconut husks soaked in saltwater, then burned for days—yielding ashes rich with the sea’s memory
Each Asin Tibuok begins with hundreds of coconut husks soaked in saltwater, then burned for days—yielding ashes rich with the sea’s memory
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Above In Alburquerque, Bohol, salt makers tend to ancient fires—where seawater, smoke, and time give birth to the rare Asin Tibuok
In Alburquerque, Bohol, salt makers tend to ancient fires—where seawater, smoke, and time give birth to the rare Asin Tibuok
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The process is punishing and the reward delicate. Few young artisans continue the craft. The ASIN Law or Republic Act No. 8172 of 1995 (mandating iodisation) and industrial imports have nearly silenced the fires. Yet those who persist do so with reverence—for the sea, heritage, the art of transformation.
Above Nestor Manungas
Above Veronica Manungas-Salupan
Nestor Manungas
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Above The resulting salt orb, encased in clay, is both an ingredient and an heirloom—a fragment of Philippine heritage shaped by human hands and the coastal rhythm
Above At dawn, the salt makers’ fires still burn, their glow a testament to tradition—preserving a craft that refuses to fade with the passage of time
The resulting salt orb, encased in clay, is both an ingredient and an heirloom—a fragment of Philippine heritage shaped by human hands and the coastal rhythm
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From the salt pans of Bohol, we journeyed to Teresa Marble in Rizal, where the earth yields another lesson in endurance. Founded in 1976, Teresa Marble’s seven-hectare quarry produces thousands of square metres of marble monthly, powered by innovation and guided by sustainability. Replanting, water recycling and site rehabilitation ensure that the beauty extracted from the earth is repaid in care.
Above At the Teresa Marble quarry in Rizal, raw earth is shaped into enduring beauty—an artistry grounded in precision, responsibility and respect for nature
At the Teresa Marble quarry in Rizal, raw earth is shaped into enduring beauty—an artistry grounded in precision, responsibility and respect for nature
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Above From quarry to craft—Filipino artistry endures
Above Marble remembers—each mark, a testament to the patience of its maker
From quarry to craft—Filipino artistry endures
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In the same light of artistic pursuit, Ren Marble continues this legacy through design, crafting minimalist homewares and sculptures that honour the natural veining of stone and the hands of Filipino artisans.
Above In the hands of Ren Marble’s artisans, stone becomes sculpture. Each cut and polish reveals a legacy of Filipino craftsmanship passed through generations
In the hands of Ren Marble’s artisans, stone becomes sculpture. Each cut and polish reveals a legacy of Filipino craftsmanship passed through generations
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For HSBC Philippines, these stories of craft echo its own 150-year journey in the Philippines. Since opening its Binondo branch in 1875, the bank has empowered industries that built the nation, from sugar and rice to infrastructure and trade. Today, that same commitment continues on a global scale. From the Philippines to the world, HSBC helps clients and businesses thrive through international connectivity, enabling local enterprises to expand, trade, and compete across borders. HSBC Philippines has supported generations of clients and contributed to legacies through HSBC Premier, Cards and International Wealth Hubs. And just like the marbles from Romblon, HSBC connections are fostered over time through consistent care and anticipation of any client’s personal or business needs. Like the salt maker and stone carver, HSBC’s work is deliberate and enduring—built on heritage, integrity, connection, and care.
Above Crafted by hand, sustained by heritage
Crafted by hand, sustained by heritage
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From the fires that purify to the chisels that define, these rarities remind us that what endures is not only what is made, but how it is made—with patience, respect and purpose.
Watch Rich Rarities: Salt and Marble by Tatler and HSBC—from the fires of Bohol to the quarries of Rizal, witness how patience, craft and principle shape enduring foundations. See the full video below:
Above A Tatler Philippines production, in partnership with HSBC
Locations: Bohol, Teresa Marble Quarry, Ren Marble, Linamnam Restaurant
“Rich Rarities”
Director: Adi Bontuyan
Assistant Director: Mikki Soriano
Edited by: Dan Pablo
Lead Producer: James Mayo
Production Manager: Jo Reglos
Words: Dowee Untivero
Camera Operators: Lord Gerald Bala and Dan Pablo
Production Assistant/Gaffer: Ian Agapay
Deputy Editorial Director: Isabel Martel Francisco
Commercial Initiatives Manager: Bianca Simeon
Special thanks to Don Baldosano
This video is part of a four-part feature series entitled “Rich Rarities”. Visit our channel to watch more.
A creative storyteller with a background in literature and culture, Dowee has been with Tatler since 2016 and now leads the brand’s digital voice—pursuing stories that highlight inspiring people, moments, and experiences. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from De La Salle University and is pursuing her PhD in Philippine Literature and Society at the University of the Philippines. She is also a member of the writers group, Taftique, which hones young writers in the field of creative literature.
For story leads, collaborations, or inquiries, reach out via dowee@tatlerphilippines.com or info@tatlerphilippines.com.
