La Loma Lechon Festival set on May 18

The Philippine Lechon or roasted pig is a national favorite. ShutterStock image

MANILA — Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte will lead other city officials in the celebration of the La Loma Lechon Festival on May 18.

Belmonte, who also sits as officer-in-charge of QC’s tourism department, said the Lechon Festival highlights the city government’s vigorous drive to transform the La Loma area as a major tourism attraction.

It is also part of the city’s celebration of its 75th founding anniversary in October this year.

The festival will be featuring colorful parade of roasted pigs or “lechon” dressed in costumes on especially- designed floats.

More than 20 roasted pigs sponsored by the La Loma Lechoneros Association Inc., neighborhood associations, non-governmental organizations, barangays and other sectoral groups will be paraded during the event to delight local residents and visitors alike.

Barangays Paang Bundok, Salvacion, Lourdes, San Isidro Labrador and N.S. Amoranto in the city’s first district are among the barangays that will participate in the festival.

The two-kilometer parade will kick off at Calavite St., which is home to some of the country’s famous lechon makers, like PingPing’s Lechon, Mila’s and Lydia’s, to name a few.

As a treat to spectators, all roasted pigs displayed during the parade shall be served during a grand “salu-salo.”

Street dance competition, culinary competition, dragon-lion dance exhibition and a grand fireworks display will also be among the highlights of the festival.

For its part, the QC government will be providing cash prizes to the winners of all the competitions during the celebration, including the best float.

La Loma was declared as the country’s Lechon Capital in 2004, during the incumbency of then QC Mayor and now House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.