PALO, Leyte– The kakanin’ or local delicacies are given importance in this year’s Christmas celebration in this town.
The local government unit had organized the “kakanin festival” showcasing the trademark native delicacies of the municipality like the “suman,” a delicacy made from glutinous rice cooked in sweetened coconut milk.
Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla said that aside from showcasing suman, they also allow other native delicacy makers to display and sell their products in food stalls they provided inside the compound of the Palo Cathedral.
More than 20 food stalls sell different types of suman and other native delicacies like puto bumbong, palitaw, among others, beginning on Friday (Dec.26), the start of the nine-day Simbang Gabi.
Selling of the native delicacies is until January 3. Winners of the best kakanin will also be announced on that day.
Mayor Petilla said that kakanin industry particularly suman is popular in her municipality.
Some makers had made some innovations to the suman product to give variations from its traditional taste.
Some of these suman had ube flavor, meat, turmeric, among other flavors.
Mayor Petilla added that she already asked help from the Department of Science and Technology to assist native delicacy producers in extending the shelf life of their products through the use of food technology like retorting.
“Instead of just three to four days, it should last for at least even less than a year if it is package properly so we can market it not only here in the province but even in national and international market,” Petilla said.
“Packaging is very important including on how we market it,” she added.
Palo opens its annual Christmas festival dubbed as’ Duaw ha Palo, Lamrag han Palo’ where major areas of the town are decorated with dazzling lights and colorful decorations that will amaze local visitors.
Also lighted with the bamboo Christmas tree are the municipal building, the tunnel of lights, Purisima Bridge, Bernard Reed Bridge, and the town public market.
Governor Carlo Jericho Petilla together with board members Wilson Uy, Raissa Villasin, and Carlo Loreto, graced the opening program held on Dec 14 at the Palo public plaza.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
