By Mae Singuay

Around 1,600 individuals will avail “free” roasted chicken during the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival from May 26 to 28.

Councilor Celia Flor, Markets and Slaughterhouse Chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod said as part of this year’s Inasal Festival, they will be giving chicken inasal to identified beneficiaries of the local government unit.

These are Home for the Aged, and the Boys and Girls Homes, she added.

Meanwhile, Flor said Bacolod is set to create history through its “longest chicken inasal grilling station.”

Tourism operations chief, Maria Teresa Manalili, earlier said they aim to set up grills longer than the one showcased four years ago.

“In the last Chicken Inasal Festival, the longest was 300 meters. We would like to surpass that with whatever resources we have,” she said.

Flor said chicken inasal is not an exclusive property of the city, but a cultural property which Bacolod is known for.

“When you say tasty chicken inasal, Bacolod comes to mind, especially Manokan Country,” she said.

“The concept of the festival is to promote Manokan Country as an icon of Bacolod,” she added.

The three-day festivities will be conducted at three festival sites — the Upper East-Megaworld, Manokan Country in the Reclamation Area, and on North Capitol Road.

On Friday, May 26, the Chicken Inasal Festival will kick off at North Capitol Road with a tasting event to introduce chicken “not only as a simple dish but a perfect pair for various brews.”

The Grand Inasal Tasting Pavilion will feature guest chefs with their inasal versions in the pairing challenge.

City barangays will also compete in a culinary showdown “Barangay Chicken Inasal Cook-off” on Saturday, May 27 in Manokan Country.

They will showcase their best in terms of grilling chicken, competing for the title “ultimate grill masters.”

The winners will receive P20,000; P10,000; and P5,000 for the first, second and third places, respectively./MS, WDJ