In Pangasinan town, 2,000 kilos of ‘pinakbet’ served for fest
VILLASIS, PANGASINAN—This agricultural town reaffirmed its reputation as the “Vegetable Bowl of Pangasinan” by cooking nearly 2,000 kilograms of “pinakbet” vegetables and sharing bowls of the favorite beloved Filipino dish with hundreds of residents and visitors.
The culinary feat was the highlight of the 17th Talong Festival, which featured the grand “Pinakbet sa Kawa” event on Jan. 16 during the weeklong town fiesta.
Each of the town’s 21 barangays prepared their own unique version of pinakbet, cooking in large vats to showcase their culinary creativity.
To support the event, the local government provided each village with key ingredients: 30 kg of eggplant, 10 kg of ampalaya (bitter gourd), 10 kg of tomatoes, 4 kg of okra and 2 kg of “siling haba” (long green chili).
Cooks from each barangay were free to enhance their recipes by adding other vegetables or ingredients, including pork, pork cracklings, bagoong or “alamang” (fermented fish or shrimp paste), herbs and spices, making every rendition of the dish flavorful and unique.
“We also added 6 kg of mushrooms and plenty of ‘pagmamahal’ (love),” Rene Victorio, 64, the main cook of Barangay Unzad.
Victorio, a farmer and member of the village civilian volunteer organization, also works as a cook during weddings and other community celebrations in the barangay.
Villagers dedicated the entire morning to preparing and cooking the dish. By around 11 a.m., the aroma of freshly cooked pinakbet filled the air, drawing eager residents and visitors.
In just about an hour, the large vats were emptied, and everyone left full.
Unique dishes
“This is a bring-your-own-bowl (or plate) event, and the pinakbet is free for everyone while supplies last,” said Dita Abrenica, honorary vice chair of the festival.
Another festival highlight was the cookfest, which showcased creative and unique dishes featuring eggplant as the star ingredient.
Twenty-five schools and private organizations participated in this year’s cookfest, with entries judged on their nutritional value and taste, originality and creativity, as well as presentation and plating, according to Abrenica.
Cookfest chair Nelda Rabang announced that the top prize was awarded to Unzad National High School for their innovative “eggplant croquette with creamy corn and eggplant soup.” The winning dish earned a cash prize of P5,500 for its creators, Maritess Burse and Precilla Rabara.
Mayor Nato Abrenica said that the local government provided vegetables sourced from the town’s expansive agricultural fields to support the barangays. This initiative not only reaffirms Villasis’ reputation as Pangasinan’s “vegetable bowl” but also aids farmers in marketing their produce.
The local government assists farmers during each planting season by providing farm inputs such as fertilizers to boost productivity.
Municipal agriculture officer Dionisio Cariño said some 300 hectares in Villasis were planted with eggplant in 2024. Although this was slightly less than the area cultivated in 2023, farmers enjoyed higher earnings due to improved market prices.
Cariño noted that the farmgate price of eggplant in 2024 ranged from P80 to P100 per kilo, significantly higher than 2023’s average of less than P50 per kilo, which was caused by an oversupply. By December 2024, prices peaked at P120 per kilo.
The prices of other vegetables, such as ampalaya, okra and long green chili also saw increases compared to 2023, boosting local farmers’ income.
Cariño said that normal farming conditions—free from calamities, pest infestations, and with sufficient irrigation and fertilization—a hectare of eggplant can yield 28 metric tons over five months.
At a price of P80 per kilo, this could translate to a gross income of P2.24 million per hectare.
However, Cariño noted that eggplant farming is both cost- and labor-intensive, with an initial investment of around P250,000 per hectare.
