CABAGAN, Isabela—Around 1,000 residents here were treated to a gigantic serving of “pansi Cabagan” as part of the launch of the weeklong Pansi Festival on January 23.
Government officials led the opening of the festivity, held annually as a tribute to this town’s thriving native-noodle industry and the farmers’ bountiful harvest.
Mayor Christopher Mamauag told the Philippine News Agency the local rice-noodle dish called pansi (an Ibanag term for pansit) has been forever etched in the history and culture of the villagers.
“This is a thanksgiving for the bountiful harvests of the farmers and for the ubiquitous pansi Cabagan that is synonymous with the town’s culture and heritage,” he said.
Local officials cooked pansi Cabagan as a “recognition of the noodle industry, as well as the farming occupation in the town,” Mamauag said.
Some 78 kilogram of miki rice noodles, 80 kg of pork, 200 quail eggs and 30 kg of vegetables went into the prepared pansi Cabagan served in a gigantic bilao (native woven tray or basket) and eaten at lunchtime by 1,000 people.
Farmers, fishers and calesa (horse-drawn buggy) drivers were also feted through the Kalesa, Kutseru, Kabayu (KKK) competition and inter-barangay calesa- painting contest.
Other events lined up for the Pansi Festival included a sports competition, Senior Citizens-SK-Balikbayan-OFW Night, beauty pageant, street dance, and other activities.
Image credits: Viilamor Visaya Jr.