Macanlalay Eyes Calasiao as Lechon Capital of P’sinan

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – The mayor here is determined to make this first class town as the lechon (roasted pig) capital of Pangasinan.

During the lull of this year’s League of the Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Luzon Island Cluster Conference Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay attended in Cebu, he sneaked out from his colleagues by renting a car and checked out how the vaunted lechon houses in Carcar City, Cebu Province fare.

Array of lechons in Cebu.

“Carcar City’s Public Market merong space na panay lechon ang binebenta. Hilira ng lechon public, market talaga siya. Kaliwa’t kanan ang mga lechon baboy binibili na kilo o buo wala pang ganoon sa Pangasinan,” he narrated to Northern Watch Newspaper.

The first term’s Macanlalay target to put a lechon section in the public market here as inspiration to his Carcar City’s visit to be a come-on to the people in and outside of Pangasinan to patronize.

He plans to invite individual lechon sellers all over the province to relocate in this town with some forms of benefit to persuade them.

“Maraming lechonan na nakita ko dito (Pangasinan). Gawing isang lugar sila. Isa iyon sa pupuntahan ng mga turista dito,” the young mayor - who is a scion of the Macanlalay’s political family – quipped.

Cebu's lechon is one of the most iconic local dishes in the Philippines, according to Cebuinsights.com. Its crunchy exterior and chewy meat make it an ideal meal for any time of the day. Only a few places on the southern island can make the perfect, world-renowned lechon, with the City of Carcar as the top go-to spot.

Cebu and Carcar because of these roasted hogs earned the title of “Lechon Capital of the World.”

The cuisine was brought to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era, and roast pig has a long history in Cebu. Domingo de la Cruz, it was believed, seasoned the hog with a special mixture of herbs and spices before roasting it over charcoal. This is how the first lechon in the Cebuano style was supposedly made.

Macanlalay said the roasted pigs being sold in this town like those in Barangay Buenlag can compete with those lechons in Cebu.

After big retail stores like Puregold and Robinsons Mall put shop in this burgeoning town, the membership American Shop’s S&R (Sol and Robert (Price) opened here in October 5 to cater to the customers in Northern Luzon and Tarlac Province.