Asingan: Visitors and residents here shared more than 700 trays of “kankanen” (native rice cakes) during Saturday’s celebration of the Kankanen Festival.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Calos Lopez Jr. stated that the town’s 21 barangays, including 27 schools and 10 civic society organizations, collaborated to produce the native rice cakes for the event.
In less than 30 minutes, the more than 700 trays, or “bilao,” of “kankanen” was consumed. “Everybody’s excited to taste the different kankanen. This year, aside from biko (‘inkalti’ in Ilocano), there are also suman, palitaw, tupig, latik, puto, bitso-bitso, and others,” Mayor Lopez remarked. He added that residents requested the inclusion of tupig as three local barangays are known for producing and selling it.
Last year, the festival showcased over 500 trays of “kankanen.” Mayor Lopez emphasized that the festival serves as a thanksgiving activity for the industry that has provided livelihood for many families in Asingan. It also highlights the town’s small businesses that cook and sell “kankanen,” in addition to other local produce like corn, rice, and carabao’s milk.
The main ingredients of “kankanen” include sticky rice (malagkit), sugar, and “gata” or fresh milk. The municipal government provided each participant with two liters of fresh carabao’s milk sourced from the Bantog Samahang Nayon Cooperative. Mayor Lopez noted the distinct taste of “kankanen” when cooked with fresh carabao’s milk. There are currently about 384 milking carabaos in the area, including young ones that could produce milk in two years.
To support “kankanen” producers, part of the public market has been converted into a “kankanen” and bakery section, ensuring a designated area for tourists and visitors seeking the delicacy. The Kankanen Festival began in 2011 by the Department of Education and was adopted as the town’s festivity in 2019. Its celebration was paused in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed in 2022.
In addition to the Kankanen Festival, Asingan is set to host a Carabao Festival on April 30. Activities will include a parade of carabaos in dresses, demonstrations of carabao meat cooking methods, and a showcase of carabao milk byproducts. These activities are organized and funded by the Bantog Samahang Nayon Cooperative with local government assistance.
