"Members of the indigenous Obo-Manobo tribe in the southern Philippines preserve the traditional practice of harvesting and eating dragonfly larvae, known locally as 'kulibpos'. Footage filmed in Kidapawan on Sunday shows a tribal leader, or datu, Melchor Umpan Bayawan, gathering the larvae from a fast-flowing river in the foothills of the Mount Apo mountain range by reaching under submerged rocks, before preparing traditional dishes. Bayawan said the practice has long been part of daily life for the Manobo people. "Our parents harvest it when they go to their farms because it will ease their hunger," he explained. "We are harvesting 'kulibpos' to eat because this is very important for our diet because we believe that this is an energy booster," he added. The insects are found only in clean waterways and are considered by locals to be an indicator of good water quality. "The Manobo tribe has two ways of cooking the ‘kulibpos’ (dragonfly), the stir fry called 'mantikanan' and 'binunguhan' or wrapping the larvae and spices in banana leaf and directly cooking it in fire," said Melchor. Junmar Umpan, who recently tried 'kulibpos' for the first time, said the taste reminded him of small shrimps. "I am a native but it’s my first time eating 'kulibpos'. It tastes like small shrimps and it’s very delicious," said Umpan. Beyond its role as food, some families use the larvae for medicinal purposes. "If my daughter has asthma episodes, I make a dragonfly soup and then let her drink it to ease her asthma." said local mother Honey Fiel. Bayawan said passing on the practice to future generations is important for cultural continuity and an essential survival skill."