Tamalos is Catbalogan’s local version of Mexican tamales, with slabs of tender pork belly with rich peanut sauce on a soft rice flour base, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for hours. (photo from Tamalos Catbalogan FB page)
CATBALOGAN CITY -- Promoting the city’s rich culinary tradition is the highlight of this year’s month-long fiesta celebration here.
Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said the theme for this year’s city fiesta is “Karisyo (cheerful) Katbalogan: Nurturing Nature, Conserving Culture”, putting emphasis on the twin advocacies of environmental protection and cultural preservation.
The Local Culture and Arts Council (LCAC) will highlight the unique culinary traditions of Catbalogan, dubbed the “Karasa (yummy) Katbalogan” culinary expo on Aug. 22, which will showcase the rich and flavorful foods the city can offer visitors and tourists.
“We are putting emphasis on the culinary heritage of Catbalogan this year as a way of promoting the rich, fresh and flavorful foods that the city is known for,” Uy-Tan said.
“Apart from the fact that our city is rich in marine life and we offer fresh seafood, one of the must experiences to taste and a food that should be tried when visiting the city is the Tamalos. That is only served by the people of Catbalogan,” she said.
Tamalos is Catbalogan’s version of Mexican tamales, with slabs of tender pork belly with rich peanut sauce on a soft rice flour base, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for hours.
“Locals here love to eat. We offer variety of foods, which we love to share in every occasion. Our food are flavorful because of the variety, the options and the rich taste that will suit any food palette and this food is fulfilling because it will not only feed your body but also nourish your soul,” Uy-Tan added.
As part of the preparation for the upcoming fiesta, council members convened to tackle the activities for the 2018 Manaragat (fisherman) fiesta celebration for the entire August.
The month-long Manaragat fiesta celebration will open on Aug. 1, and will be followed by nightly activities Tingog 2018: Catbalogan Singing Idol, Hugot Night: Acoustic Night and Slam Poetry, Regional Catbalogan Battle of the Bands 2018, cultural presentations from various educational institutions in Catbalogan, Search for Mister and Miss Manaragat 2018, Catbalogan Young’s People Day, Inter-School Drum and Bugle Competition, Buri Serero at Buri Island and the Manaragat Festival Queen Competition.
The Manaragat Festival Grand Parade showdown will be held on Aug. 23, which will be followed by a street party.
The city council approved the ordinance, declaring the Manaragat festival as the official festival of Catbalogan; the Tribu Katbalaugan as the official festival contingent of the city; and every August as Manaragat festival celebration.
On Aug. 24, the city will celebrate its city fiesta in honor of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.
Catbalogan, the commercial, trading, educational, financial and political center of Samar province has a population of 103,879 people. (PNA)
