Dagupan’s Longest Barbecue: Charcoal lack, other kinks dampen upbeat mood of Guinness bid

DAGUPAN CITY — Where’s the charcoal?

This was everyone’s question Tuesday night when this city attempted to break Peru’s Guinness record for the world’s longest barbecue.

While the huge crowd — estimated at 50,000 - overflowed on A. B. Fernandez Avenue, the city’s main thoroughfare where the targeted 1,001-meter long grill was laid out, excitement suddenly turned into desperation. The reason: there was no more charcoal even when the lighting ceremony was still midway.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor and Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, all Pangasinenses, and Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Nixon Kua presided over the grill’s ceremonial lighting.

While many said the event — which began at 7 p.m. and lasted until the wee hours of the morning — was a flop, blaming the lack of charcoal for having dampened the upbeat mood of the participants and the spectators as well, Mayor Benjamin Lim believes otherwise.

"I think there was a good turnout. For a moment, we developed a sense of pride in terms of participation," he said, although admitting there were "some kinks" he attributed to "miscommunication."

For one, the charcoal, which came all the way from western Pangasinan, arrived past 6 p.m. when the grill’s ceremonial lighting was slated to start. Another problem: the Gilon! Gilon! street dancing depicting the harvesting of bangus should not have been held on the same day as the grill event. This delayed the putting up of grills as well as tents for picnickers as part of Kalutan ed Dagupan, the city’s bid for the world’s biggest party.

Also, some people who had reserved a number of grills failed to properly man them, while others simply brought home grills that were not theirs, Lim bewailed. Besides, while embers glowed in some grills, there was no sight of any bangus.

"There was over-excitement among the people and the working committees but we have learned our lessons," Lim said.

Still, Lim is confident that Dagupan can beat Peru’s record for the longest barbecue organized by the La Municipalidad Provincial de Canchia on Nov. 13, 1999. It was 613 meters long, made up of 536 grills each measuring one meter by 63 centimeters, and participated in by 20,000 people.

Dagupan City’s grill, on the other hand, was 800 meters long — out of the target of 1,001 meters — each grill with a length of 1.2 meters.

Lim said they will send video footage of the event to the Guinness office for validation. A Briton, whom the mayor failed to identify, will stand as witness to what transpired, he added.

Aside from bangus, pork, chicken, vegetables and cold cuts were also grilled.

"If there was one thing that was good about the festival, it was the unexpected gathering of the rich and poor of Dagupan," said Westly Rosario, local chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

But Jeremiah Soriano, of Barangay Pantal, noted what he described was a big blunder: the scrapping of the traditional fluvial parade from the Pantal River to the Bonuan beach.

"Imagine deliberately removing the traditional fluvial parade meant to offer thanksgiving to the Creator for the bounties of the sea which is the real reason why we are celebrating Pista’y Dayat?" he said.

Soriano added: "How funny and silly is the claim of some people in the (working committees) that the fluvial parade does not have any impact."