By Hilda Austria/PNA
CALASIAO, Pangasinan — The municipal government here will again stage the Puto (rice cake) Festival to boost tourism and sales of its famous product on December 13-16.
In an interview on Thursday, tourism officer-designate, engineer Melanio de Vera said the puto industry here needs a boost after it was affected by severe flooding in the town due to several calamities.
De Vera said the municipal government hopes this year’s festival would again promote and increase the sales of puto similar to its bid for the Guinness World Record’s biggest mosaic tilt last year.
“After that attempt in Guinness, the sales of puto increased and people even (in) other countries, became aware of our product,” he said.
The formal opening of the Puto Festival this year will be on Dec. 1 alongside the lighting of the town’s first ever Christmas village. The festival’s main events start on Dec. 13, de Vera said.
“There will be a parade on the opening and street dancing. On the second day, we will feature best ways to cook out, wherein the 26 schools here will present their recipes with puto as the main ingredient,” he said.
The other activities are Amazing Race, Puto Festival King and Queen, Ms. Gay, Volleyball tournament, and street party.
“We invite everyone to join us in these activities,” de Vera added.
