1,000 kgs catfish for grilling in Pantatan Festival

ABOUT 1,000 kilograms of catfish will be grilled during “Sugbahan sa Kalsada,” one of the highlights of the 4th Pantatan Festival to be held next week from October 29 to October 30 in Brgy. Los Amigos, Tugbok District.

Speaking during the I-Speak media forum held at the Davao City Hall Conference room on Thursday, Los Amigos brgy. captain Angelico Santander Jr. said the 1,000 kgs. were the only ones committed by catfish producers but they expect it to increase as the festival nears.

He added that there are also other catfish producers outside Los Amigos who are willing to join the event.

Santander said that this is a form of thanksgiving of a good harvest as they catch approximately five tons of catfish per day.

He added guests will come from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources including national secretary Asis D. Perez together with other local officials from the Davao City Agriculturist Office.

He said that the officials will also join in catching and eating catfish in the activity dubbed as the “Pantat tilaw” to be held at Limbaga’s Hito Farm in Purok 3-B Los Amigos.

Other activities include a culinary contest to be held at the basketball court of Purok 1. The celebration will also be held in coordination with the Department of Tourism to innovate new dishes that are expected to be included in the list of must-try, unique Asian food.

Santader said that it’s the second year of the culinary contest.

The Pantatan Festival started back in 2014 as a simple thanksgiving celebration spearheaded by the Laacpo but later on became a popular event and involved neighboring cities and provinces.

The 17th City council, taking into account the increase of socio-economic aspect of the local fisher folks, and seeing the promotion of Los Amigos as an agri-tourism destination, recently passed an ordinance declaring the Pantatan Festival as one of the official festivals of Davao City to be celebrated yearly every last week of October.