PINAKBET SA KAWA. Residents of Villasis, Pangasinan will miss their annual Talong Festival next year as Mayor Nonato Abrenica has issued an executive order on Sept.15, 2020 canceling the holding of the Talong Festival 2021. This is still part of the precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus, with the end of the pandemic still uncertain. (Photo of Liwayway Yparraguirre)
VILLASIS, Pangasinan – Mayor Nonato Abrenica has canceled the celebration of their Talong (eggplant) Festival next year along with other activities coinciding with the town fiesta due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In an interview on Wednesday, Abrenica said the organizational meeting in preparation for the festival and fiesta set every January was not called, and various committees were not constituted.
The cancellation of the festival was made through an executive order (EO) issued by Abrenica on Sept.15.
“The World Health Organization has stated that the end of this health pandemic is nowhere near and the earliest time that a reliable vaccine can be had is at the latter part of 2021,” he said.
Abrenica, however, clarified the church and other religious activities in commemoration of the feast of St. Anthony Abbot are not covered by the EO, but the strict implementation of health protocols such as 50-percent capacity in transportation, wearing of face masks and face shields, as well as social distancing, would be imposed.
More than a decade ago, on his first term as mayor, Abrenica introduced Talong Festival to highlight the town’s vegetable produce, the majority of which are ingredients of the pinakbet.
One of the festival activities is the Pinakbet sa Kawa where the 21 barangays cook their respective versions of pinakbet. The main ingredients are provided by the local government through its municipal agriculture office. (PNA)
