ALCALA — Without having to spend even a single centavo, this south-central Pangasinan town aims to etch its name in the world map when it puts up the world’s longest grill unit and the world’s longest barbecue grill on April 29 this year.

Mayor Manuel Collado said the activity will be among the highlights of this year’s town fiesta, which is slated on May 1 to 3. A grand reunion of overseas residents of this town will also mark the fiesta celebration in honor of the Holy Cross.

He said overseas residents of Alcala had wanted a fiesta activity they have never experienced before and suggested the conduct of two world-record breaking feats to make their brief homecoming to their beloved town more memorable.

“Not a single centavo would be spent by the municipal government in these two world record- breaking feats that could spur tourism and put the cooperation and industry of the people to real test,” Collado said.

The Rang-ay ti Alcala (Progress of Alcala) headed by Ed Tolentino is coordinating the homecoming of the overseas residents of Alcala, preparations of which started way back by the first quarter of last year.

The overseas Alcalenians all agreed to bankroll the activity that aims to break the world’s longest grill record at 33 meters being held by Germany and the world’s longest barbecue event of which the current record holder is Dagupan City in the Philippines at 2.2 kilometers.

The municipality is currently securing entry numbers from the London-based Guinness Book of World Record for these twin record-breaking feats in its hope to barge into the world records.

Aside from eyeing two world records for the municipality, the activity is actually a fund-raising
drive of the municipal government to finance livelihood projects for less fortunate citizens.

This is because the overseas residents of Alcala, from the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada, Middle East and other parts of the world, who are now all well-off, are buying the grills at U.S.$100 each.

At three meters per grill and spanning three kilometers, there will be a total of 1,000 grills for the same number of sponsors overseas, contributing U.S. $ 100 each.

“Would you believe that to date, there are now at least 975 sponsors that had been found?” Collado enthused.

Collado, a lawyer and on his first term as municipal mayor of Alcala, told newsmen at a news conference, that they are building a grill more than twice longer than the existing world record registered by Germany.

On the other hand, they will put up a three-kilometer barbecue grill in order to erect a new world record in this event from where the townspeople will cook pork and milkfish at one time over embers of charcoal.

Collado told newsmen that the three kilometer barbecue grill will span the national highway across six barangays namely San Pedro Ili, San Nicolas, Poblacion East, Poblacion West, San Juan and San Vicente.

He said the pork to be barbecued will be supplied by Monterey. There shall be four kilos of pork, and a separate 20 pieces of bangus per three meter grill.

At least 2,000 sacks of charcoal, at three cans each, will be used for the barbecue event, all of which will be supplied by a supplier from western Pangasinan.

“No. We are not competing with Dagupan in the barbecue event. We are only trying to make a name for our municipality and our people,” Collado explained. (PNA)