BACOLOD City Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the City Council committee on tourism, is pushing to declare the third week of August as a celebration of Rum Festival in the city.
Ang, who authored the ordinance which was approved on first reading last week, said that rum is the world’s third biggest spirit category.
She said recently published Brand Champions 2018 report, Philippine brand Tanduay has overtaken Bacardi to become the world’s best-selling rum brand after reporting 17.5 percent growth last year.
“The brand was almost neck and neck with its rival Bacardi in 2017, but managed to experience an astounding increase to claim the top spot for the first time. The brand is getting ever closer to the 20 million case mark it once held in 2012. Tanduay is the best-selling rum in Asia and is now available in the United States,” she added.
Rum is a distilled clear alcoholic beverage which is a byproduct of molasses production or made directly from sugar cane juice.
Ang noted that sugar cane has been the major produce in Bacolod City and the Province of Negros Occidental and the plantation of the same has also been the major source of employment of the citizens.
Ang pointed out that Bacolod City dubbed as the Sugar Capital of the Philippines, is also home of the world’s largest selling rum.
“It is just fitting that the Bacolod City Government institute a festival to commemorate the contribution of rum in the sugar industry especially to the people of the city,” Ang said.
Section 4 of the proposed ordinance stated that the City Tourism Office shall prepare appropriate events for the celebration of the festival subject to the approval of the Provincial Board, to include but not limited to Rum-Run Competition, Rhumba Dance and Zumba
Rum Awareness and Livelihood Seminar, Rum-Infused Food Cookfest, Rum-Infused Food Free Tasting, Rum Cocktail Mixing Contest, Rum-themed Battle of the Bands or concerts and Rum Ball.
It added that the events may be staged in partnership with business establishments, non-government organizations and other groups willing to be part with the festival. (MAP)