FOUND: CHICHA-RABAO

Chicharabao. Something interesting from an unexpected place, Tugegarao City.

Lest you're lost, Tugegarao  is the  capital of the province of Cagayan, north of the Philippines. It's one of the hottest places in the country with temperature reaching as high a 38 °C (100 °F) during summer.

And yes, you guessed it right, the chicharon is not made of pork rind but deep-fried carabao skin. It is  has less fat and all the crunch. The one I got to taste was also a bit spicy.

It's for sale in most pasalubong stores in Tugegarao but it was developed by Lighthouse Cooperative which hires locals to make the crunchy treats as part of the local government's One Town One Product (OTOP) efforts.

Address: 30 Luna St. cor. Taft St., Tugegarao City
Telephone: (078) 304-06-35