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Cebu

Rosquillos Festival

Rosquillos Festival is a cultural, religious, and food festival in Liloan, Cebu, Philippines every May 30. The annual fest is a display of devotion to the town’s patron, San Fernando El Rey, and a means to promote its product, the disc-like cookies called rosquillos. It is one of the cultural fests that participate in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo every August.

Rosquillos

The etymology of Rosquillos Festival comes from rosquillos, a round, flat, golden brown and crenelated biscuit invented by Margarita Frasco in 1907.

Frasco, who was also known by the name Titay, made the biscuit from ingredients commonly found in the kitchen such as flour, eggs, shortening, sugar, and baking powder.

Titay used to give away the biscuits for every bottle of soda sold. The tasty treat was a hit. It gained popularity that it was sold separately and people from other towns began to drop by the store to purchase the delicacy.

The provincial governor once visited the store and asked the name of the biscuit. Frasco did not have any answer. The governor, after fitting the biscuit in a finger, called it rosquillos after rosca (which means ring-like or ring-shaped).

The exact recipe is a secret and it is passed down to succeeding generations of the family-owned business Titay’s Lilo-an Rosquillos & Delicacies, Inc. In 1963, Corazon Frasco took the helm of the company. It is multi-awarded institution, garnering the Perlas Awards for Valuable Entreprenuership and Family Home industry in 1998.

The biscuit is mass-produced and distributed in major groceries and outlets, making the biscuit available to wider market.

History of Rosquillos Festival

In the past, the town of Liloan held the Parola Festival. It was inspired by the Bagacay Lighthouse, commonly called parola, located in Barangay Catarman. Established as a navigational aid in 1857 during the Spanish times, the tower was constructed by virtue of Executive Order No. 28 by Governor General William Howard Taft on July 28, 1903.

Made of masonry, the tower measures 52 meters in height and has an octagonal footprint with its base giving way to a tapering structure. It stands on a government property on promontory with of about 45 meters. It provides guiding light to sea vessels, mariners, sailors, and fisher folks along the Mactan Channel.

A house bill authored by Representatives Vincent Franco Frasco and Gus Tambunting proposed to transform the Bagacay Lighthouse into a tourism destination during the 19th Congress.

The local government of Liloan launched Rosquillos Festival in 2008. The fest is a nod to the rich history and food brand in rosquillos, a product that is unique and original to the town.

In 2009, the municipal board passed a resolution establishing Rosquillos Festival as the official festival of Liloan. It was adjudged the overall champion in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo in 2012.

Devotion to San Fernando El Rey

The schedule of Rosquillos Festival is held in time with the town fiesta of its patron, San Fernando El Rey or St. Ferdinand III of Castille.

Augustinian missionaries introduced the devotion to St. Ferdinand during Hispanic conquista. They established the church as a visita of St. Joseph Parish in Mandaue.

It separated from the mother parish and became an independent parish on June 27, 1847, with Fr. Vicente Dorocel as its first parish priest. Meanwhile, the municipal website states that declaration of its parochial status was made two years earlier, in 1850.

The church was built between 1859 and 1880. It is erected on the parish property across the town plaza. When it was opened to the public, it was considerably larger than Mandaue church in the 19th century. As a Spanish-era architecture, it stands unique as its entrance door faces inland rather than the sea in the east.

Rosquillos Festival Activities

Major events in the festival are mounted as a way to “showcase of Liloan’s talent, rich customs, and tradition but is also a grand celebration of Liloan’s milestone, big and small, a celebration of love, resilience and unity among all Liloanons.”

Major activities include beauty pageants (Queen of Liloan, Festival Queen), street dance, ritual showdown, grand parade, motorcade, entertainment, socio-medical services (such as medical mission, mass wedding), competitions, fluvial procession, high mass, disco, etc.

How to reach Liloan, Cebu

From Mactan International Airport, take a ride to SM City Cebu, Parkmall, or North Bus Terminal. From there, buses are available that will bring you to Liloan.

References

Rosquillos Festival Summary

NameRosquillos Festival
ChurchSan Fernando El Rey Parish
Contact(032) 564 3131
CountryPhilippines
DateMay 30
Emailliveloveliloan@liloan.gov.ph
Established2008
Facebookweb.facebook.com
LocationLiloan, Cebu
OrganizerMunicipal Government of Liloan
PatronSt. Ferdinand III of Castille
ReligionRoman Catholic
Websiteliloan.gov.ph