P1.5M needed to run Talisay Inasal fest

While the upcoming Inasal Festival aspires to draw tourists and investors to Talisay City, councilor Shirley Belleza yesterday admitted the city needs financial assistance for the activity.

Belleza, chairperson of the council committee on tourism, cultural and historical affairs, filed three separate resolutions asking P1 million from President Arroyo, and P500,000 from Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to sustain the first Inasal festival.

"The Inasal festival will promote not only the city of Talisay but also a united Province of Cebu, which is now popularly known as the festival island," Belleza said.

She added that the city would like to promote other best products through a trade fair that shall be done during the festival.

The festival will showcase the longest line of "kissing" roast pigs, placed snout to snout. About 300 pigs will be grilled at the junction of barangays Lawaan to San Isidro of the Cebu South Coastal Road.

The Inasal festival will be one of the highlights of the city's Halad festival in October in line with the celebration of the feast of St. Theresa de Avila, the city's patron saint.

The inasal or lechon business was started by a certain Teresa Mancia Olo in Talisay City in 1945.