In a remarkable event, the shoreline of a beach resort in Maasim, Sarangani, was flooded with an enormous quantity of juvenile sardines, locally known as “lopoy,” on the first Sunday of the new year. This extraordinary incident occurred in the coastal municipality of Sarangani in Region XII, located at the southern tip of Mindanao, Philippines. Residents of Tinoto, along with guests at the beach resort, took advantage of this unexpected bounty, gathering the tiny sardines using their hands and pails.
One local group managed to collect approximately 500 kilograms of sardines, planning to dry them for three days before selling them in the market for about P8,000. The unexpected arrival of these fish was considered a blessing by many, including the resort guests. The abundance of fish was shared generously among the locals and visitors, offering a potential source of income for the community.
The phenomenon, which brought joy and surprise to the villagers, was attributed to a few possible reasons. One explanation is that it might be related to the current season of lupoy. Another theory is that larger fish chasing the sardines caused them to swim toward the shoreline, as bigger fish cannot venture into shallow waters. Additionally, it was suggested that the lights from the beach resort might have attracted the sardines to the shore.
This event was seen as a peculiar but normal occurrence by fishery experts, driven by factors like sudden changes in sea temperature, wave directions, and the lack of planktons for the fish to feed on. Despite the excitement and gratitude expressed by the locals, such phenomena are traditionally viewed by old folks as warning signs of impending calamities or disasters, though this is scientifically debatable【