Yesterday’s biggest bibingka making in the history of Mandaue City featured 1,321 pieces of the delicacy weighing a total of 5 tons.
Though the team was hit by a heavy rain and wind causing their tents to get destroyed, head of Department of Tourism Louella Cabanero said the team’s 168 teachers, 100 students and other volunteers didn’t stop working.
After an hour of rain, Cabanero said some of the coconut husks used in the ovens to cook the bibingka about 40 x 40 centimeters per pan got wet.
The team made use of 50 sacks of charcoal while waiting for it to dry.
“We anticipated all the problems that we would encounter… that’s why we prepared lots of charcoal,” she said, pointing out the incident caused hours of delay in the presentation slated at 3 p.m.
She said they also gathered more than 13,500 coconuts starting Holy Week since a coconut with a cracked shell was useless.
Cabanero said she was thankful the Mayol family, pioneering bibingka makers, stayed with the team more than 24 hours.
The shredded coconuts were also cooked and used as toppings of the biggest bibingka, which was about 182 square meters with a diameter of 50 feet and a thickness of 3 inches.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said he was pleased the project united all sectors of Mandaue City.
“The bayanihan reflects the real character of a Mandauehanon,” he said.