SABLAN, Benguet -- Sablan, the fruit basket of the province of Benguet, opened its 3rd Fruit Festival on September 2.
Sablan Mayor Arthur Baldo said this is the town’s way of promoting and helping the farming industry, which is the primary source of income of the residents.
“Through a festival, we hope to increase the income of the residents who rely on fruit production,” Baldo said.
“This will not only showcase the many kinds of fruits that we produce here, but also the quality and taste of what our farmers grow,” he added.
The festival will include an agro fair, the contest for the largest and sweetest of each kind of fruit, float parade, poster making contest, wall painting and ground demonstrations.
As an added feature of the festival, the mayor said they will have the initial serving of the largest fruit salad on September 4, which will further strengthen the town’s claim of being the main producer of fruits in the province.
“As it is yet a starting venture, he hopes this will improve through the years,” he said.
The largest fruit salad will be unveiled and served for free to the public in the morning at the Municipal Covered Court in Poblacion, Sablan.
The local government has allotted PHP17,000 for the largest fresh fruit salad, with 10 kinds of fruits that thrive in the area - banana, pineapple, papaya, guava, coconut, jackfruit, santol, pomelo, rambutan, and dragon fruit. The salad will be prepared on a properly made plywood that carries the map of the town. The salad will be served without any dressing or any condiments.
Members of the rural-based organizations, the Rural Improvement Club will serve as crew who will do the preparations early morning prior to serving time.
The local government broached the idea of coming up with the showcasing of largest fruit salad following the other municipality’s featuring of their produce such as the largest strawberry shortcake at Benguet capital town La Trinidad and the giant vegetable salad spearheaded by the La Trinidad Vegetable Traders Association.
With the theme, “Working together in sustaining a fruitful Sablan,” September was chosen to celebrate as most fruit varieties are in season on this month and in August.
This is likewise the basis of officials in considering and institutionalizing the conduct of the festival on September 2 to 4 of every year through an ordinance. (PNA)
