LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – They ate a spoonful of the popular “Bicol Express” pork and shrimp cooked in coconut oil with lots of chili and then sang their favorite song.
Luckily, nobody choke during the contest Tuesday night, one of the activities lined up during the month-long Magayon Festival which was revived by Albay Gov. Joey Salceda four years ago.
In past contests, participants just had to swallow and chew some 300 fresh chili.
Evangeline Balmedina, 32, of Barangay Banqurohan here, bested eight other female contestants, singing “Isang Babalikan, Isang Iiwanan” after partaking of the spicy Bicol Express.
On the other hand, Jomar Balderama, 24, of Barangay Tumpa, Camalig town, also won over eight contestants, singing his version of Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak.”
“This is already my third win,” said Balmedina who complained of hyperacidity after the contest.
“I regularly eat chili as an appetizer during meals,” Balmedina said in the dialect. She works in an abaca export processing plant.
Aside from P10,000 cash and trophy, she also received an additional P2,000 as winner in the singing contest.
Balderama, for his part, received only P10,000 cash and trophy. “I was not able to finish the song because part of the Bicol Express I swallowed stuck in my throat and I found it hard to breathe,” he said.
Second prize in the female category went to Retchel Bantigue of Barangay Banquerohan, and third prize to Edlynn Mendivel of Daraga town.
Second and third runner-ups in the male category were Don Lorena Jr. of Barangay Quirangay, Camalig town and Christopher Mancera of Barangay Talo-loto, Camalig town, respectively.
Most of the participants failed to comply with the contest rule that they had to sing while eating Bicol Express or be eliminated.