FAITH in their patron saint and how their product helped shape the identity of their barangay, were among the concepts shown by the participants of the 2nd Siomai sa Tisa Festival yesterday in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.
Thirteen participants from different sitios of the barangay, which were grouped into different zones, joined yesterday’s street dancing and ritual competition.
Tisa Barangay Captain Philip Zafra said yesterday’s event turned out to be successful in promoting siomai, the village’s main product.
“One of our purpose in holding this activity is to promote Barangay Tisa as one of the 80 barangays of Cebu City, separate and distinct from the others and our product, which is siomai,” he said.
Siomai, Zafra said, became famous in their barangay and was made possible through the entrepreneurial skills of their residents.
The barangay has earlier worked on getting a trademark for siomai, as their own product, to keep other vendors from claiming it.
The festival, Zafra said, was also organized to honor Tisa’s patron saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz.
Winners
Tribu Kalanggaman of Zone 4 was named the grand champion of the ritual category, while Tribu Zumbahanon was first runner-up and Tribu Mauswagon, Zone 5, was second runner-up.
The winners received P50,000 (champion), P30,000 (first runner-up) and P20,000 (second runner up).
Tribu Kalanggaman bagged the best in costume and best in musicality awards.
Tribu Zumbahanon was also hailed as the best in street dancing.
Aside from the dancing competition, search for the best andas, where the image of San Lorenzo Ruiz was placed was also held.
Tribu Kamayo Zone 1 was named best in Andas.
“Siomai made Barangay Tisa known, that is why it was called ‘Siomai sa Tisa,’ everywhere you go in the city and nearby places, there are those selling it. The festival is organized as a way of giving tribute to small businesses in our barangay,” Zafra said.
Promotion
Because of the success of the festival, Zafra, who is also the president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) said he will encourage other barangays to organize their own festival to promote their respective products.
“We are not the first to organize this. In fact, we only copied from other barangays, that’s why we will urge others to do the same,” he added.