Parish in Sibugay bids for longest ‘biko’
MABUHAY, Zamboanga Sibugay (MindaNews/01 Oct.) — A parish in this island municipality of Zamboanga Sibugay launched its Guinness World Record bid on Monday, September 30, for the longest biko (rice cake).
San Miguel Parish, which belongs to the Diocese of Ipil led by Bishop Julius Tonel, produced biko that measured 360 meters long, 10-cm thick and 30.8-cm wide, under Claim ID No. 436682 of the Guinness Records Management Team.
In a statement, Felmar Castrodes Fiel of the Diocese of Ipil said the said attempt was part of the parish’s fiesta celebration.
“This idea to set a world record came as part of the ‘halal’ (not forbidden) fellowship move of the Catholics to welcome those of other religions and denominations,” the statement said.
Fiel explained that during the town’s fiesta celebrations, everybody would join in the merrymaking. During meals, however, non-Catholics like Muslims would feel being left out because most of the food would have pork in it.
“Fiestas in the Philippines mean lechon (roasted pig) on the table, thus our Muslim brothers and sisters cannot join us,” she added.
“The Guinness bid eventually became a uniting factor for the Muslims, Christians and the indigenous people called Subanens in the area. Thus, a showcase of peace-building and harmony among our people,” she said.
Roughly 1,080 kilos of “pilit” or glutinous rice was used for the completion of the biko. The 28 contingents from chapels, schools and parishes that joined the undertaking used a total of 3,240 coconuts and 712 kilos of sugar.
Police and military personnel were among the 386 volunteer cooks, while 565 people served as “tigkagod” or coconut graters.
Seven hundred twenty students from Western Mindanao State University-Mabuhay Campus were assigned as marshals for the said world-record attempt.
“Our next step is to submit this to Guinness, and hopefully it will be accepted,” said Fiel. (Paulnazer Lontua/MindaNews)
