Masantol through which the big Pampanga River passes is the province’s undisputed crab capital, Mangrove crabs (formerly called mud crab) are a major product of fishpond operators who manage no less than 12,000 hectares of ponds, according to Crisanto N. Lapaz of the provincial agriculture and fishery council (PAFC). The areas along the river used to be planted to the traditional rice and other crops like corn and vegetables. But when saline water started coming in from the sea, the farmers could no longer grow the crops they used to plant. That’s when they shifted to operating fishponds.

Sarian, Z. (2017, June 03). Masantol is Pampanga’s crab capital. Manila Bulletin, p. B-7.