BACOLOD City – Victorias City’s Barangay 7 in the province of Negros Occidental bagged the championship during the 2023 Sabor Victorias Cooking Competition in line with the 10th Kalamayan Festival.
Barangay 7 brought home P20,000, while the first runner-up, Barangay 12, received P15,000, and the second runner-up, Barangay 6, got P10,000.
The non-winning barangays received a consolation prize of P3,000 each.
The 13 participating barangays were challenged to prepare gourmet Filipino a la carte dishes with the use of Victorias Food Corporation (VFC) food products from Victorias Milling Corporation (VMC).
The one-day cooking challenge was held at the city’s public plaza. The contest was open to all culinary enthusiasts, with each participating team consisting of up to three members.
Mayor Javi Benitez of Victorias City led the cutting of the ribbon during the opening ceremony on Dec. 16, together with VMC president Linley Retirado and VMC Foundation executive director Anne Tiongco.
Benitez also led the opening of the VMC Art Exhibit at the Victorias City Hall.
The art contest, participated in by young artists, was anchored on the theme “What can you do to your community?”
Retirado said, “Every year since 2015, we have been part of the Kalamayan Festival — a festival to celebrate the sugarcane industry. After all, when one thinks of kalamay, or quality sugar, what comes to mind is our sugar “Victorias.”
“Our sugar has been a strong player in the market for over 100 years now, touching the lives of sugar industry players through the years,” he added.
Aside from sugar, the city is also known for its Negros-made Spanish-style sardines and Spanish-style bangus, as well as the Victorias Ham, especially during the Christmas season.
“And so today, we once again bring our quality and healthy products to the fore during this year’s Kalamayan Festival,” the VMC president said./PN
