This year had been a mix of many events–there were struggles but also happy ones, which is probably true for every business out there. Victorias Milling Company in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Philippines is also trying to get back on track. Aside from the usual course of business, it is now holding CSR events like the recent VMC Interschool Art Contest last November and now the Kalamayan Festival 2023. Here are some of the highlights.
Victorias is Synonymous With Sugar, Hence, Kalamayan Festival 2023
The Kalamayan Festival 2023 is also known as VMC Day, a day when the company holds activities and festivities for the people of Victorias.
This year, the day started with an art exhibit held at the Victorias City Hall. The art exhibition featured the works of the VMC Interschool Art Competition 2023 winners as well as some of the best artworks from previous years.
It was opened by no less than Mayor Javi Benitez who said something to the effect that Victorias can be used flexibly to mean the city or the milling company. He thanked VMC for its support to the city, giving jobs as well as encouraging tourism.
Sabor Victorias Cook Fest 2023
The Sabor Victorias Cook Fest 2023 was the highlight of the day, a contest that was participated in by 13 groups representing the 13 barangays of the city.
Each group has to come up with a unique and creative dish that makes use of Victorias products in celebration of the Kalamayan Festival 2023. The contest was judged by three renowned professional chefs, namely Don Colmenares, Richard Ynayan, and Jairus John Cambelisa.
The Victorias products used were displayed on a table and the cooks just took what they needed to use. And these are the dishes they came up with.
- Laing using Victorias Bangus and Victorias Smoked Bacon
- Victorias Sweet ham in Cream of mushroom sauce
- Victorias Bacon and squid in coconut milk
- Spanish sardines pasta
- Pasta with hot Victorias Spanish sardines
- Bacon wrap with yogurt sauce
- Binalot na VFC ham na may puso ng saging, talaba, sugpo, and mango in glutinous rice wrap
- Leche flan
- Cordon blue with mornay sauce
- Spanish sardines menudo
- Sweet & sour sardines + Victorias ham & bacon omelet
- Carbonara with bacon, ham, and Victorias Spanish sardines
- Aglio olio with bacon and Victorias Spanish sardines
Sabor Victorias 2023 Winners
True to the essence of the Kalamayan Festival 2023, it was a sweet victory for the winners as the top 3 went home with P20,000, P15,000, and P10,000 for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placers respectively. Meanwhile, all the participants received P3,000 as consolation prizes. Everyone went home a winner!
The top 3 dishes were the Filipino Laing using Victorias bangus and smoked bacon, the Binalot, and the Sweet ham in Cream of Mushroom sauce.
A Free Show
In the evening, the people of Victorias were treated to a comedy show featuring Daniela Aliermo as Vice Gandan and Alycca as Anne Curtis. It was a free event held at the Victorias Public Plaza.
It was a fun and fulfilling day having the Kalamayan Festival 2023 — even the weather cooperated — giving people hope for a better future for the City of Victorias.
- Victorias City is about an hour’s drive, north of Bacolod City in Negros Occidental.
