HANGING rice, locally known as “puso,” larang, tuslob-buwa and grilled fish are among the native food that Barangay Pasil, Cebu City is known to offer.
Larang is a stew rich in spices. Tuslob-buwa is an exotic street food made from pig brain, pork liver or intestines, onions, oil, soy sauce or fish sauce and other seasonings. It looked like bubbles when cooked. It literally means “to dip into bubbles.”
Yesterday, children from the coastal village showed what their barangay can offer through their performance in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan.
Though they did not bag the grand prize, the group caught the attention of the public with their puso-decorated green and white costumes.
They placed third in the ritual showdown, third for street dancing category and third for musicality.
Concept
Edgar Abay, the group’s choreographer, said the everyday scenario in the barangay inspired him to use it as a concept for the dance.
Abay was assisted by Frederick Laput, Carl Jade Ledesma, Angelica Pueblas and Junmar Ocaron.
He said the concept was their way of thanking Sr. Sto. Niño for the graces Barangay Pasil and the neighboring Barangay Suba have received.
“Dako kaayo og pasalamat ang mga tawo sa Pasil ug Suba kay bisan sa ginagmay nila nga negosyo, makalahutay gyod sila sa ilang inadlaw nga panginahanglan (The residents are thankful that their little businesses survived),” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Abay described their performance as portraying the true identity of their barangays, where puso, larang and tuslob-buwa are popular.
Pasil’s delicacy
“Kung moingon ka og puso, Cebu gyod na. Kung tuslob-buwa, larang ug sinugbang isda, sa Pasil ug Suba sab gyod na nag-una ug lamian nga matilawan (Puso is Cebu while tuslob-buwa, larang and grilled fish are Pasil and Suba,” he said.
Used as the performance’s main props, a giant puso placed in a giant frying pan was transformed into the image of Sto. Niño.
“Lipay ra sad mi nga naka-place mi. Mosayaw gihapon mi sa grand parade sa Sunday to show to our visitors kung unsay unique nga mga pagkaon nga naa diri sa Cebu (We will dance in the grand parade to show to our visitors the unique food we have here in Cebu),” Abay said.