SUMPTUOUS FEAST | Residents feast on rice noodles during the Pansi Batil Fotun Festival in Tuguegarao City on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, one of the highlights of the city’s nine-day Pavvurulun Afi Festival. (Photo by VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. / Inquirer Northern Luzon)
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines — This city’s famous rice noodle dish that the mayor described as “made out of love” fed about 1,000 residents and guests at the Pansi Batil Fotun Festival on Saturday.
The residents and guests partook of about 500 kilos of noodles garnished with eggs, carabao meat or “carabeef” and various vegetables, other meats, and spices as they dined on white plastic tables in this city.
The “pansi batil fotun,” a famous Ibanag noodle delicacy also known as “pansit batil patong,” is famous among food enthusiasts across the country and abroad.
The dish is the centerpiece of the food festival that was part of the 10-day Pavvurulun Afi Festival in this city, which started on Aug. 8 and would end on Wednesday.
“Our pansit (rice noodle) is made out of love. Its ingredients include positive emotions. It is authentic, hand-tossed and the noodles are made fresh every day,” Mayor Maila Ting-Que said in an interview on Saturday.
The pansi batil fotun have toppings that differed from one “panciteria” (noodle restaurant) to another. Among the popular toppings are “chicharon bulaklak” (deep fried pork mesentery), pork chop, sausage and shrimp, among others.
Its sauce is traditionally an egg drop soup. A poached egg along with sautéed meats and vegetables are topped over the fresh “miki” noodles, while anf egg is cracked and stirred in simmering beef, an all-time favorite among residents.
Contests
The event featured group pansit-eating and pansit-cooking contests.
“We showed our best and we won,” said Jessie Dulay, 39 and cooking champion representing Marian’s Panciteria where he has been working for seven years now.
Dulay added that the secret was their “batil” soup, which was made of simmered carabeef bones. Dulay and his team brought home P50,000 cash, a trophy, and tokens.
In second place was the team from Julie’s Panciteria which won P30,000; and coming in third was the Jomar’s Panciteria team, who took home P20,000.
The 13 other nonwinning teams got P5,000 each as consolation prizes.
For pansit-eating, the group from Barangay San Gabriel was declared champion and won P15,000 and a trophy; followed by the teams from Barangay Cataggaman (P10,000) and Barangay Tagga (P5,000), in second and third places, respectively.
Fire festival
The Pavvurulun Afi Festival opened in the evening of Aug. 8 with around 500 dancers who entertained about 6,000 at Cagayan Sports Complex here.
“Pavvurulun Afi Festival is a celebration that is not only a form of gratitude for all the blessings and prosperity that the city has received, but it also highlights the core values of unity and friendship among the Tuguegaraoeños,” Ting-Que said in an interview on Wednesday.
“Pavvurulun” is the Ibanag term for unity while “afi” means fire.
“The activity brings together different agencies, industries, and businesses that show their solidarity and unique services and products,” the mayor said.
The Pavvurulun Afi Festival was first staged in 2014 with the Pansi Batil Fotun Festival as one of its most significant events.