ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. reminded visitors to drink in moderation following the opening of the food festival and bazaar on Muelle Loney Street, Iloilo City, behind the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
“Indi malipat, drink moderately,” Defensor said during the opening program of the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahan Food Festival and Bazaar on Thursday night, Jan. 25.
The governor also said the food festival is an opportunity for the province to showcase the specialties and products of different municipalities, offering a “fun, foodie, friendly” experience.
“Salamat sa aton business community nga nagkumplasir nga ma-intra sa aton nga food festival. Salamat gid sa inyo partisipasyon,” Defensor said, adding that food stall owners are very competitive in preparing Ilonggo cuisines.
The governor is inviting everyone to visit the food festival and enjoy the food as well as be entertained by Ilonggo bands.
“You enjoy our food, amo ni ang kinahanglan naton. We need variety, tagaan sang option ang aton mga bisita kag ang aton nga mga kasimanwa para sa aton ‘fun, foodie, friendly’ food festival,” added Defensor.
More than 70 stalls are participating at the food festival and bazaar which runs from 5 p.m. until midnight on Jan. 25-26 and from 10 a.m. until midnight on Jan. 27-28.
Local government units (LGUs) from the province, including Ajuy, Batad, Concepcion, and Santa Barbara, also participate, showcasing their local products.
Meanwhile, to ensure the safety of the general public accessing various products in the food festival and bazaar, on Thursday the sanitation inspectors of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, in coordination with Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Center, conducted an inspection of food stalls and their workers to monitor their compliance with the sanitation standards./PN
