‘Mangan Taku 2023 back to Rose Garden

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- The 2023 staging of the “Mangan Taku” (Let’s Eat) food fair will be conducted at the Rose Garden in Burnham Park where the gastronomic event was first held.
    Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued executive order 46, series of 2023 mandating the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) to reserve and allow the Department of Tourism – Cordillera Administrative Region to use the Rose Garden from April 17 to 26 as venue for activities.
    The CEPMO was told to extend all support such as landscaping of the venue, waiving of all fees pertinent to the use of the Rose Garden, tapping of water, additional workers for cleaning and upkeep of the venue.
    Meanwhile, the city General Services Office was directed to provide logistics for the opening program and the entire duration of the event as well as assign additional street sweepers and collection of garbage at the area.
    The Baguio City police Office will implement its operations plan for security, traffic management and crowd management round-the-clock the area.
    Other offices of the city government were also given tasks in support of the Mangan Taku event.
    On the 5th edition of the “Mangan Taku” food festival, the DOT-CAR highlights “tapuey” or rice wine in the cook fest from April 21 to 24.
    The food festival was institutionalized in 2019 per City Ordinance No. 81 declaring Mangan Taku to be conducted in the month of April as part of the Summer Vacation activities in the Summer Capital featuring Cordilleran cuisine.
    The lead implementing agency is the DOT-CAR in partnership with the city government of Baguio.
    The activity is pursuant to Proclamation No. 469 in 2018 declaring the month of April as the “Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino” or Filipino Food Month to promote the appreciation, preservation and promotion of Philippine culinary traditions and treasures, ensuring transfer of knowledge to future generations and to support the various industries, farmers, and agricultural communities. – JMPS