Around 300 uniformed bamboo food kiosks will be put up in Iloilo City as part of Dinagyang’s food fest this year.
Phillipp Chua of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) said they partnered with the local government unit (LGU) of Maasin in Iloilo province for the construction of the kiosks.
The Ilonggo Food Festival is scheduled on Jan. 23-26.
“This is an opportunity for Maasinhons to showcase their craftsmanship using their bamboos,” said Chua.
Mayor Francis Amboy of Maasin thanked IFFI for the opportunity given to them.
“We create employment and at the same time we showcase our bamboo craft,” said Amboy.
The mayor said they tapped around 100 bamboo workers from various town barangays to do the job.
Each kiosk, based on their signed contract, costs P3, 500.
The cost is on top of the P5,000 application fee that each kiosk tenant has to pay for the three-day food fest.
Chua said pre-fabricated kiosks will be delivered and installed by the Maasinhon workers on Jan. 22 to 23.
The food fest is confined at Iznart, Aldeguer, Arroyo and part of Ledesma streets. The Iloilo Hotels Resorts and Restaurants Association (IHRRA) and the ‘Kaon Ta, Iloilo!’ online food community are also joining the food fest and will occupy the Delgado Street and Arsenal streets, respectively.
Amboy said an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 pieces of bamboos are utilized to construct the 300 kiosks.
Maasin is tagged as Panay Island’s bamboo capital with more or less 5, 000 hectares plantation naturally grown bamboos.
The town is also being eyed by the Department Environment and Natural Resources as the site for plantation of one million bamboos this yea.IMT
Photo by IFFI
