Bacolod Deploys 450 Cops for Chicken Inasal Festival

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has deployed 450 policemen to secure this year’s Chicken Inasal Festival, scheduled from May 24 to 26.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Lester Leada, head of the BCPO Operation Management Unit, stated that skeletal deployment began yesterday, ahead of the festival’s official kick-off on Friday, May 24. A pre-deployment briefing with personnel was held the previous day.

Leada mentioned that they did not augment other units for the three-day event, which will be held at festival grounds including SM City Bacolod, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, North Capitol Road, and Megaworld Upper East.

Road closures will be in effect at North Capitol Road (from Lacson Street to Aguinaldo Street) from 9 p.m. on May 22 to 11 a.m. on May 27, and at Manokan Country (Ferrero Street) in Barangay 12 from 11 p.m. on May 22 to 11 a.m. on May 27.

This year’s theme, “Inasal Global,” aims to showcase Bacolod’s iconic chicken inasal to the world.

Festival activities include food tasting and beer pairing, a Barangay Inasal Cook-Off and workshops, Bacolod Chicken Inasal Awards, the Dance Challenge and Modern Movement Competition, and the Chicken Inasal Global Beats Competition (Street Dance). Ten barangays will participate in the street dance competition.

This year, the city will not hold the longest chicken grill event but will have a ceremonial chicken grilling. Last year, Bacolod showcased a 320-meter-long chicken grilling event at Megaworld’s Upper East, where 70 concessionaires grilled 3,000 chicken inasal in an attempt to set a world record for the longest chicken grilling.

The festival, aimed at creating platforms and portals for both global and national audiences, celebrates Bacolod’s rich culinary heritage and vibrant culture.

The first Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival was held in 2018, featuring various chicken inasal vendors.