LAOAG CITY — Residents here capped the month-long celebration of the Pamulinawen Festival with a 4.6-kilometer long “boodle fight” on Wednesday afternoon.
A boodle fight is a Filipino practice of eating a meal that originated in the military service, where food is served on a bed of banana leaves and eaten using bare hands by partakers.
Ilocanos in this northern part of Luzon also embrace the same practice as a show of solidarity by eating together in one table, sharing the same food.
In 2015, the city government hosted the longest boodle fight in its attempt to be included in the Guinness World Records.
This year, residents from the 80 villages of Laoag City with the help of non-government organizations and local businesses, prepared the tables and food starting at 3 p.m.
Organizers said they set up a 6.5-kilometer boodle fight covering Laoag’s major streets to include Ablan Avenue, P. Gomez Street, J. Rizal Avenue and M. Dizon Street.
Mayor Chevylle Fariñas said the boodle fight was open for all to show equality regardless of status in life.
The feast began as soon as the 5 p.m. signal was given by organizers, and the city residents started sharing with the Ilocano iconic dish “pinakbet” as well as “adobo”, salted dried fish, boiled eggs and tomatoes.
Pamulinawen Festival celebrates the founding anniversary of Laoag City and the feast day of its patron saint, St. William of Maleval. (PNA)
