ALCALA – All roads led to Alcala yesterday as people came to witness this town’s attempt to enter its name in the world map by putting up the world’s longest grill and the world’s longest barbecue for the Guinness Book.

Mayor Manuel Collado said after several dry runs, there is no doubt anymore that Alcala has broken the two world records of 32.84 or 107.7 feet for the longest grill and the 1007.56 or 13,305.54 feet for the world’s longest barbecue.

The longer grill record was put up by the residential home Haus Ostertal at St.Wendel Werschweiler Germany as part of its 10th anniversary on May 14, 2004.

On the other hand, the city of Dagupan, some 60 kilometers northwest of Alcala currently owns the existing barbecue record which it put up May 3, 2003 during its bangus festival.

A 150-meter long grill fabricated by local tinsmiths and welders, and 1,000 pieces of three-meter long grills to be attached to each other in order to form three kilometers, were the main ingredients of the town’s quest for world honor.

Collado said not a single centavo was spent in the two world record-breaking feats as the expenses were bankrolled by Alacala residents abroad holding their grand homecoming for the town fiesta in honor of the Holy Cross.

Collado clarified that it was the overseas Alcala residents who suggested this kind of activity in order to make their homecoming more meaningful and truly worth remembering.

He said the overseas residents do not want to just dance all night at the town auditorium where not all citizens of the towns would come anyway.

The grill event with an eye to break two existing world records, all will have all citizens whatever station in life participating, they said.

The overseas Alcala residents bought all the 1,000 grills at three meters each at U.S. 100 dollars per piece for a total of U.S. 100,000 dollars.

After all the expenses were deducted, the remaining amount will be used by the Rang-ay ti Alcala Foundation for health, and community development as well as for education of poor but talented youth.

Among the many exciting activities yesterday were parade of former town beauties at 7 a.m. to be followed by street-dancing and drum and lyre exhibition. The actual grill started at 5 p.m. and on-going at presstime.

Grilled were meat to be supplied by Monterey, milkfish bought from Bolinao, hotdog and others.