Ilocos town holds Bagnet Festival, tourists thrilled

By Freddie G. Lazaro

NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur — Exciting events and delectable Bagnet-inspired foods were main highlights during the “Bagnet Festival” here that started Dec, 2 up to 15 which thrilled tourists, Mayor Zuriel S. Zaragoza said.

“We are very glad that during the 3rd year of the Bagnet Festival, we launched the first Triathlon race and tournament in Ilocos, if not in Northern Luzon, at the Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH) on Dec. 15, the conduct of first beach volleyball contest, the first Pyrolympics contest, and other exciting events,” Zaragoza said.

Other important events of the 2012 Bagnet festival included the Bagnet Street Dancing Contest yesterday participated in by the contingents coming from Northern Luzon and Cordillera provinces.

The 1st Bagnet Festival was launched  Dec. 13, 2010, coinciding with the 434th founding anniversary of this town, which is considered heart of Ilocandia, being the gateway to other Ilocos and Cordillera provinces.

Bagnet, which is locally known as “sitsaron” (deep-fried pork’s meat), is synonymous with the local residents here as it is an indispensable part of their cuisine.

Bagnet is also the town’s One-Town, One-Product (OTOP).

Zaragoza noted that the production of the first-class Bagnet was considered  heirloom to Narvacaños, where the recipe was passed from generations to generations.

It was claimed that the delicious and crispy Bagnet originated in this town.

It has been said that when Spanish conquistador Captain Juan de Salcedo discovered Narvacan in 1576, the very first food that the natives in the locality served to him and to his group was Bagnet.