Chili-tasting challenge heats up Isabela festival

CITY OF ILAGAN–Chili and hot sauce, put together, provided the soul-burning sensation for 500 residents and guests who sampled ten varieties of chili sauces in the Chili Festival Challenge during this year’s Bambanti Festival on Thursday afternoon (Jan. 25).

“Why chili? Because many Filipinos are fond of eating hot chili,” said Philippine Chili Federation president Ponchit Ponce Enrile.

The country has two preferred chili varieties–the spicy labuyo and the milder spicy sinigang chili, but the contest introduced chili varieties from abroad such as Indian spices which are 20 times spicier than labuyo, Enrile said.

The chili festival in Isabela is the first of many chili festivals to be held in Mindanao and Metro Manila “as we attempt to be the hot sauce center in the world,” he said.