Smoke Over Bacolod

Tuesday the 19th May Bacolod could be identified from many miles away due to a smoke column that emanated from SM City North Wing Car Park.
On closer inspection a delightful smell assailed one's nostrils as the scent of chicken being barbecued permeated and filled the area.
At 16:00hrs Tuesday the 19th May 2009 Bacolod City attempted to wrestle the longest "Chicken Barbecue Grill" record from and previously set by Santo Tomas, Pangasanin. The previous record of 3.8KM has been topped with an extra 195metres of barbecue trough. Guiness World Records are yet to confirm or comment on the claim.

The Barbecue was lit by several officials from Negros and the City of Bacolod, these included Senator Francis Escuardo and Mayor 'Bing' Evelio Leonardia who both cooked and Ate their own barbecued chicken Inasal.......... Neither have been reported as having checked into any local hospitals, so it can only be presumed that they are still alive and kicking.

400 sacks of charcoal, 62,000 barbecue sticks, several baths of special Inasal marinade and 3,000 volunteers, theses to cut up and prepare the chickens to marinade overnight before also barbecuing the following day. A huge crowd in excess of 20,000 witnessed the event and also helped to eat the chicken.

It is intended that the event will become an annual food fest to help promote Bacolod, (which already has the Masskara festival in October) as a tourist destination.

Guiness Book of Records verification is expected sometime towards the end of July.