Singkamas or Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) is one of the crops being planted in the Municipality of Sta. Catalina these days. The hot dry weather is a perfect time to harvest the tubers that are in the same family as potatoes.

Also known as a yam bean, Jicama originated in Mexico and figure significantly in the cuisine of that nation. They spread with the galleons in the 1600’s to the Philippines and onto other Southeast Asian countries and China.

Just recently, a farmer from Barangay Cabittaogan, Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur named Dominador Ramilo dug-upped a bulb of Singkamas which measured 18 inches across and weighed 23.4 kilograms. Dominador was amazed by the extra ordinary size of the singkamas and immediately told to Mayor Carlos R. Asuncion and other townmates about it.

In the Guinness Book of Records, the heaviest Jicama weighed 21 kg (46 lb 4.8 oz) and was grown by Leo Sutisna (Indonesia) in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and weighed on 25 January 2008. For this reason, there is a possibility that the Singkamas unearthed by Dominador Ramilo would be a record breaker.