BONTOC, Mountain Province March 24 – Dozens of women from various organizations in several barangays in this capital town will be pooling their resources in the coming days to prepare what organizers described as the biggest ‘patupat’ in the history of ‘ patupat’ making in the locality which will be one of the highlights of the 13th Lang-ay festival and the province’s 50th founding anniversary next month.
Paul Tumapang, chairman of the Lang-ay Festival Organization, said some 50 women who are members of the Afew and Foyayeng Women’s Organization of Bontoc Ili will be working for three days to prepare the biggest ‘ patupat’ which is capable of feeding thousands of residents and visitors who will be attending the grand streetdancing and cultural parade while some 30 women who are members of the Chaleya Women’s Organization of barangay Caluttit will also be separately working to prepare the traditional ‘ sinab-ang’ that will also be served to the public on the same day during the famous Lang-ay on the Street.
Lang-ay is a Kankana-ey term for feasting and partaking of food and drinks during various occasions in the different parts of the province.
“We are closely working with the different groups to prepare the biggest ‘patupat’ and the ‘ sinab-ang’ so that we will be sure that the preparations and the serving of the delicacies of the province will be done in accordance to what had been planned. We want residents and visitors alike to enjoy their stay in the province that is why we are doing our best to make the activities successful,” Tumpang stressed.
The festival organizers assured that there will be enough food for the public during the Lang-ay on the Street which will be done in front of the Bontoc public market because some of the food establishments in the town will be serving to the people their delicacies aside from the food to be prepared by various groups for the purpose of the celebration.
According to him, the 6 feet long and 4 feet high ‘patupat’ that will be wrapped with banana leaves will be ready for public viewing and eventual serving right after the Lang-ay festival grand streetdancing and cultural parade so that the people will have the chance to witness the sterling performances of the streetdancers from the ten municipalities of the province and other interested organizations who want to do some cultural presentations.
Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr. said that the province’s guest of honor and speaker during its 50th anniversary on April 7, 2017 will be Philippine National Police PNP) chief Director-General Ronald dela Rosa after the traditional civic-military parade around the main road of the municipality.
Dela Rosa confirmed his attendance to the province’s golden anniversary after P4residential Peace Adviser Jesus Duerza and Presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panela earlier begged off from attending the said activity because of very important commitments on the said day.
Lacwasan and Tumapang extended the invitation to all those people wanting to join the province’s special day and Lang-ay festival to make their bookings early so that they will be able to enjoy the various activities that were lined up by the organizers and the provincial government for the said important occasion.
By HENT
