Hordes of people coming from all walks of life participated in the Wow Sardinas! Grand Boodle Fight, a sardine-eating spectacle that affirms Zamboanga City’s title as sardines capital of the Philippines.
Thousands of cans of sardines cooked in multiple ways – dynamite, spaghetti, carbonara, lumpia, siomai and many more to include biscuits and rice were laid in makeshift tables set up in one entire lane of the R.T. Lim Boulevard for the eating spectacle led by Mayor Beng Climaco and other city and security officials.
Mayor Climaco thanked the 8 sardine companies based in the city – Aquatic Food and Manufacturing Corporation; Ligo; Universal Canning, Inc., ZC E&L Corp/ Seacost Top Choice Food Corporation; Century Pacific Food, Inc.; SACC; Permex Producer and Exporter and Mega Fishing Corporation.
The different companies also provided product giveaways such as spoons, fans, bowls, scoopers and numerous others.
Mayor Climaco requested leftover sardines to be given to the Carmelite sisters, whose convent is located at R.T. Lim Boulevard.
Wow Sardinas has become a main stay in the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival for about 11 years now and is mainly to highlight Zamboanga City’s tag as the sardine capital of the country being home to some 12 sardines/ canning factories, mostly located in the west coast.
Wow Sardinas Boodle Fight was preceded by the Regatta de Zamboanga, a vinta sail race which was capped by the Naval Capability demonstration at the R.T. Lim Boulevard – highlighting day 5 of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2019.
The festival kicked off October 1st with the Grand Opening Salvo with the Inter-Barangay Bandoreal competition and the Pink October Walk held at Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Baliwasan for the first time since its renovation following the 2013 siege. The activities lead to October 12, the feast day of Nuestra Senora La Virgen del Pilar, the city’s patron saint.
The social activities will culminate with the Street Dance competition and the main program in the morning of October 11 and the Parade of Lights in the evening.
October 12, declared as a special non-working holiday in Zamboanga by virtue of Republic Act 7350, will be devoted to religious activities with the Fort Pilar Shrine as the center of activities. (Sheila Covarrubias)