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Monday, January 12, 2004
Cebuanos dine on barbecue under stars, smoke
By Allan I. Varquez
CEBU -- As smoke covered most of Osmeña Blvd. Sunday night, over 700 vendors and a crowd estimated at 70,000 enjoyed the sight of a line of barbecue stands stretching 1.3 kilometers long.
The crowd was so thick that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was unable to reach Fuente Osmeña on foot to do the ceremonial lighting by 4 p.m. He walked from the Cebu City Sports Complex, where he watched the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, to Fuente Osmeña.
But even if organizers had to wait until 5:37 p.m. to start, a new record was set.
Lined up, Sunday night’s grills proved longer than Peru’s 613 meters in 1997 and Dagupan City’s 1.1-kilometer bangus grill festival last year.
Southeast Asia Food Inc. (Safi), which makes vinegar and patis, spent between P3 million and P5 million as main sponsor of the “Sugbayanihan.”
Moments after vendors lit up the charcoal, people began choosing between pork and chicken barbecue, at P5, P10 or P15 per stick, depending on the sizes of the cuts.
“We’re very excited. Alas 10 pa god mi diri sa buntag kay sukad masukad karon pa god ni mahitabo dinhi sa ato (We’ve been here since 10 a.m. because this is the first time we’ve seen something like this),” said Lucilla Villacorte, a barbecue vendor from Duljo Fatima, who occupied barbecue stand number seven.
“Enjoyable and exciting, grabe gyod. We should do this every year,” said Regina Lim, 38, who was with her husband and two children.
700 vendors
A fireworks display in Fuente Osmeña added to the excitement.
Each barbecue stand was two meters long. Safi built 654 of them, connected end to end, to occupy the stretch from Fuente Osmeña to the corner of Osmeña Blvd. and Sanciangko St.
The other lane of Osmeña Blvd. was left open. But vehicles from the Capitol had to turn right to B.Rodriguez St. then turn left to V. Rama Ave. to reach downtown Cebu City.
Senior Insp. Benifacio Cabasag, traffic division deputy chief, said vehicles from Mandaue, Lahug and Mabolo had to use F. Ramos St. in going downtown.
Despite the Sugba-yanihan, business went on as usual at Fuente Os-meña’s Larsian barbecue stalls, only 50 meters from the activity.
City Hall’s urban poor coordinator Bimbo Fernandez said that over 700 people from different urban poor organization served as vendors.
They each got half a gallon of vinegar and patis, provided free by Safi. They only had to buy rice (puso) and the chopped pork and chicken meat from a food manufacturing firm, at P120 per kilo.
Donated too
In a short speech, the mayor said the success of Sugbayanihan went beyond his expectations.
“This is the biggest picnic in the history of Cebu City,” he said, addressing a crowd near the stage in front of the Department of Health office.
Four wooden stages were built in different locations, each with sound systems and live bands.
Cito Alejandro, Safi’s president and chief operations officer, said his firm will donate the barbecue stands to the City Government so these can be used for livelihood projects.
Osmeña, in a talk with reporters, said he has no plans yet on what to do with the barbecue stands.
“But I am open to any suggestions,” he said.
(January 12, 2004 issue)
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