Monthly ‘lechon’ fest in La Loma to put QC in tourism map

“I call on the Quezon City Tourism Department to study the possibility of making the Lechon Festival a monthly affair. We can close a portion of N.S. Amoranto and hold a street party once a month. This would attract more visitors and further promote our district as the country’s Lechon Capital,” Crisologo said in the vernacular. (Photo: angelo Yap/ Flickr)

MANILA— To further stake its claim as the “Lechon Capital of the Philippines,” a Quezon City lawmaker on Tuesday said he wanted the local tourism department to hold monthly street parties in La Loma featuring what else, but its famous lechon (roast pig) delicacies.

Quezon City Rep. Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo made the proposal to businessmen of La Loma Lechon.

“I call on the Quezon City Tourism Department to study the possibility of making the Lechon Festival a monthly affair. We can close a portion of N.S. Amoranto and hold a street party once a month. This would attract more visitors and further promote our district as the country’s Lechon Capital,” Crisologo said in the vernacular.

“Pangarap ko dito na tulad sa France na isang beses sa isang buwan maglalagay tayo ng mga mesa ng mga restaurant dahil dadayuhin ito ng mga gustong tumikim ng lechon. At dahil doon gaganda ang ekonomiya dito sa La Loma, mas maraming turista mas maraming trabaho para sa mga tao,” Crisologo added.

Last Sunday, Quezon City marked its 10th Lechon Festival in La Loma.

The Lechon Festival featured a parade of floats, cooking and street dancing competitions.

The float of Barangay Salvacion which featured a lechon-headed farmer riding a giant chicken was adjudged the best float primarily for using recycled materials.

In the cooking competition, the spicy adobong lechon entry of Paang Bundok Senior Citizens Association grabbed first place while Barangay Bagong Silangan High School won the street dancing competition.

The festival culminated with a boodle fight and fireworks display.

La Loma was declared the Lechon Capital of the Philippines through a resolution passed in 2007 by the Quezon City Council which was presided by then Vice Mayor Bautista.

According to William Chua, Paang Bundok barangay chairperson and president of La Loma’s Lechoneros Association, the festival is one way of promoting the local lechon industry, and celebrating its fiesta. The Lechon Festival aims to make La Loma a tourist destination in Quezon City.

The Quezon City government has an ongoing plan to redevelop La Loma and make it conducive to tourists.

Last March, Mayor Bautista urged owners of lechon houses to cooperate with the city government in developing the area.

Bautista said he wants to address several concerns in the area with a single stroke and this entails the full cooperation of the community.

He also said funding for the construction of a sewerage treatment plant in La Loma was already secured by Crisologo.