BACOLOD City – The spokesperson of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has clarified that the city’s signature dish – the chicken inasal – has yet to be recognized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as the city’s cultural property.
Atty. Caesar Distrito said that the Bacolod City Tourism Office received a Certificate of Compliance from the NCCA Philippine Registry of Heritage on May 23, and not a recognition/declaration from the NCCA.
The NCCA said there was a misunderstanding.
“It was very timely that NCCA sent the notice through email. Her [City Tourism Operations Officer Teresa Manalili] intention was purely to share the news which is a significant and meaningful step in preserving the cultural of our beloved iconic food, Bacolod Chicken Inasal. Her sharing was to acknowledge our efforts in cultural preservation,” read part of Distrito’s statement.
It added: “The Certificate of Compliance refers to the registration of the Local Cultural Property of Bacolod City which is the chicken inasal under the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property Heritage, and this is the first step prior to the granting of such recognition/declaration.”
To recall, Manalili shared that the chicken inasal was recognized by the NCCA as the city’s cultural property during the opening ceremony of the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival on May 24.
Following the clarification, Manalili, through Distrito, conveyed her sincerest apology if her delivery of wordings to share the information may have inadvertently caused a mix-up.
She has also formally relayed this to the NCCA focal person./PN
