Kabalikat Civicom Global

When in Iloilo, the great place to dine exotic seafoods is at Allan's Talabahan in Oton. Not only do they serve absolutely delicious and mouth watering talaba, they sell it at a cheap price too.

This writer has been invited and honored to have dined with Lancelot and Arlene Tondares and Allan Tagala (see photos), members of Kabalikat 263 Sumakwel group of San Jose, Antique and organic staff of Zest Air at Iloilo Airport. They also facilitated this writer's plane ticket to and fro (Iloilo-Manila) with whom he is deeply indebted especially to KB Panay Vice Governor Darcy Bungay.

How did Allan Talabahan started to become one of the famous restaurant in Iloilo? Here's some backgrounder:

One day, Allan brought home a sack of Talaba and sisi from his brother's talaba stand in Villa. It served as a sample for his plan of opening a talabahan business in Oton. He started with an improvised stall beside the street catering to take out orders. The customers like the "basiao" type of talaba that he was serving, that they keep on comming back for more. Allan never thought it would turn into something big!

With the help of his wife, Jocelle, they decided to put up a small hut catering to dine in customers. Being an HRM graduate, Jocelle was able to apply her knowledge in school on how to manage the business.

After three years of operations, they expanded their business by turning their small hut into a big and beautiful cozy place to dine and add some delicious food on their list in order for the customers to have more choices.

Allan's talabahan is now a famous restaurant not only in Oton but it is known all over Iloilo.

The couple is now blessed by the way they run their business and still searching for a new and better way as how to improve it.