Talisay City celebrates Lechon Festival today

Thousands of local and foreign tourists are expected to revel in Talisay City for the first Lechon Festival today, coinciding with the fiesta celebration in honor of the city's patroness, Sta. Teresa de Avila.

The Lechon Festival, which is the highlight of the fiesta, is aimed at entrenching Talisay City as the lechon capital of the Philippines.

This may not be an official tagline yet for the city but its officials and residents want to enshrine its almost 60-year history of distinctive lechon-making.

Councilor Shirley Belleza, festival chairman, said the Lechon Festival may be considered as one of the most prestigious events in Cebu because, aside from its unique format, it promotes a grand message that Talisay has the undisputed best lechon with its lingering taste, crispier skin, and succulent meat.

There will be a grand parade of at least 100 lechons carried by 90 contingents, including the 30-member Talisay Inasal Makers Association, the "kaliwat" base or clans of Talisaynons, "mangangasal" of the roasters, representatives of barangays, NGOs, schools, businessmen, other sectors and the city government.

Belleza said that at 8 a.m., the south coastal road in barangay San Isidro will be closed to vehicles while traffic in other parts of the city will be rerouted already to give way to the parade, starting at 1 p.m. from the new Talisay City Hall.

Cebu archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal will celebrate the Mass at the church in Poblacion while Rev. Fr. Joselito Tajanlangit will bless the paraded lechons after which a ceremonial "paksit sa kubal," or the taking off of the lechon skin, will be held.

Later, fireworks and free concert will be held till past midnight, along with the inasal street kumbira. But Belleza clarified that the kumbira does not offer free lechon; instead the lechon is sold for as low as P260 per kilo.

As the Talisay legend goes, a very enterprising lady named Teresa Mancia Olo started the lechon business in 1945. Nang Ising, as she is fondly called, is now over 90. Her distinctive lechon, for which she single-handedly did from slaughtering of the pig to roasting it, became popular among Americans and wealthy families.

She retired in 1975. None of her children followed in her steps but other lechon makers started their own businesses.

Today, Talisay lechon's popularity could be gleaned from the fact that even celebrities have been known to order Talisay lechon and have it delivered to Manila.

Inasal makers have formed an association with Fe Abrogueña as its incumbent president. - Garry B. Lao