For the third successful year, Baguio City drew crowds on Oct. 6 for its own version of Longganisa Festival, which is part of the activities for the annual Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Weekend.
Organized by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio in partnership with MV Alabanza of known Baguio brand Alabanza Meat Store, the festival featured 7.86 kilometers of the tasty local treat made from 3,233 kilos of pork and other ingredients made into tidbits. Preparations, exclusively by Alabanza, took two months.
A total of 1,350 hospitality and tourism students from different schools in the city paraded the 16,000 dozens of longganisa looped in such a way to line up the entire both stretches of Session Road, which the public could enjoy every Sunday without vehicular traffic as part of an experimental scheme.
HRAB spokesperson Andrew Pinero said 7,000 out of the 16,000 dozens have been sold out at a discounted price during the event held from 6 to 11:30 a.m. The rest will be supplied to the different hotels and restaurants in the city.
He said this year’s long longganisa line is a successful upgraded version, surpassing the first two stagings which presented three kilometers and 6.8 kilometers, respectively.
It also presented a festive mood with three contingents of street dancers transforming Session Road into a mini-Panagbenga stage flocked by residents and visitors.
Aimed at enticing people to continue supporting Baguio’s brand of longganisa, Pinero said the event served as a venue for the tourist city to assure that local pork meat and byproducts are safe and at the same an expression of support to the local hog raisers.
It is also a way of helping concerned agencies to be on their feet in ensuring hogs infected by African swine fever will not enter the city and that pork meats sold in the city have necessary permits and the stamp of safety and quality.
Pinero added that this early, HRAB members are already on the drawing table planning their future HRT main attraction, as they aim to always outdo their previous presentations in support of the city’s business and tourist industry.
HRAB is responsible for the staging of events like giant wedding cake, largest raisin bread, cupcakes, fried rice festival, largest pizza, and longest longganisa which ushers other activities like Chef Wars, national food and culinary showdowns, and other events promoting Baguio and Cordillera cuisines and tourism. – Hanna C. Lacsamana
