Miss Earth 2017: Candidates roast local pork dish in southern Philippines

Some of the delegates of Miss Earth 2017 visited Zamboanga Sibugay located in Southern Philippines to try out their local dishes. The ladies personally tried roasting the country’s signature pork dish.

Contestants from Belgium, Chile, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Russia flew to Caparan in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay as part of the pre-pageant activities. They were joined by Colombia’s Michelle Gomez, one of the titleholders during last year’s edition.

The dish, called “lechon maalat,” is the province’s own version of this famous dish in the Philippines.

Cooking this dish needs an open fire made out from coal to grill the full body of the pig. The ladies were able to personally experience rolling the huge rod that held the pork. They were able to enjoy the dish which was also served to everyone.

The local government also organized a lunch event that included traditionally prepared food made of rice. There were also rice varieties wrapped in banana leaf which was served to the candidates, the pageant organizers and the guests.

It also included seafood dishes, roasted lamb, and turkey served at the private resort of the province’s congresswoman. The resort was situated in the middle of a mangrove plantation.

Personal encounters

They also enjoyed another favorite delicacy known as “pre-mature egg.” It contains the cooked pre-mature chick inside the shell and the soup that goes along with it.

The ladies spent almost the entire day in this province located in Mindanao, southern Philippines. They were taken across the lake through a boat ride to visit the mangrove plantation. They also rode speedboats as they waded across the waters.

They also enjoyed a nature trip that had them walking along a hanging bridge toward a renowned cave in the area.

Inside the cave, they witnessed various rock formations and drank natural water coming from those rocks.

The candidates also watched the locals perform their native dances. They were eventually invited to join them as they learned some of the movements of these native performances.

Test of intelligence

Among the other activities that the contestants participated in was a visit to Petron, the largest oil refining company in the Southeast Asian nation and one of the official sponsors of the pageant.

They also attended the Grand Slam 2017 trade event hosted by Windsor Garden Pavilion and Resort in Marikina City, Missosology reported.

They also recently engaged in a question-and-answer round to test their knowledge on various environmental issues. Some of the issues discussed included pollution and GMOs. This will contribute greatly to their performance which will determine the winner during the coronation night. The final event will be held at Mall of Asia Arena on November 4.