RP-Mexico rivalry: From boxing to barbecue

STO. TOMAS, Pangasinan, Philippines – The Philippines will try to upstage Mexico once again, but not in the boxing arena.

Barely a few months before the much-anticipated Pacquiao-Marquez return bout, the country girds for another showdown with Mexico as this quiet town attempts to capture the record for the Longest Barbecue in the Guinness Book of Records currently held by Hermosillo, Mexico.

The attempt to break the record coincides with the town’s first Centennial celebration, the Sto. Tomas Corn Festival, highlighted by the main event on Feb. 10.

The event will feature food and decorations, costumes and accessories, all using corn and corn husks from its hybrid white glutinous corn product.

A parade along the five-kilometer stretch of the town kicked off the festivities.

Vice Mayor Dick Villar said they will try to top the existing record for the longest barbecue which is set at 1,290.4 meters (4,232 ft 3.3 inch) achieved in Hermosillo, Mexico, on Nov. 20, 2006.

The organizers will use 2,024 corn grills made of bamboo that will be connected on a stretch of 4,938 meters, 800 sacks of charcoal, and 1,050 liters of kerosene gas.

The grill will span 10 barangays from the boundary of Rosales up to Alcala.

The grill will pass through Barangays Salvacion, San Agustin, Poblacion East, Poblacion West, San Marcos, La Luna, Sto. Domingo, San Jose, Sto. Niño and San Antonio.

“The Filipino people will be surprised. We will introduce something new and those who will witness it will surely be amazed,” Villar said.

“This is like boxing, Pinoy versus Mexico,” Villar added.

Mayor Vivien Villar, executive chairperson of the Centennial celebration, said she conceived the idea of making the longest corn barbecue in her town about five years ago to highlight their first centennial celebration.

She said although their town is the smallest in Pangasinan with only about 17,000 residents, “we, however, are united, disciplined and easy to lead because we are all cooperative.”

“I know this attempt is a big challenge for the officials and the people but I am thankful to them for working non-stop and for giving their voluntary support. I am very confident we will achieve our goal to make Sto. Tomas achieve a world record,” she added.