The Quezon City government and residents of the city’s First District celebrated the La Loma Lechon Festival 2026 on Sunday along Calavite and Don Manuel Agregado Streets in Barangay Salvacion, alongside the feast of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion de La Loma.

Held every third Sunday of May, the annual festival continues to reinforce La Loma’s reputation as the Lechon Capital of the Philippines.

In her opening remarks, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte honored Tomas Delos Reyes, the founder of Mang Tomas lechon sauce and a pioneer of La Loma’s lechon industry.

“Now, several families and businesses have followed in the footsteps of Mang Tomas, helping build the district that we now know as the Lechon Capital of the Philippines,” Belmonte said.

The district is home to 14 lechon establishments, including Ping Ping's Lechon and Restaurant Inc., Rixs Lechon Baboy House, Lechon La Loma ni Aling Nelia, Mang Tony's Lechon Haus, Bulakenas Lechon Haus, Mang Tomas Native Lechon, Ryan's Lechon Baboy and Baka, Lito's Native Lechon, Mila's Lechon Corporation, Monchie's Lechon, Lola Lita's Lechon, Jomar's Lechon, Caloy and Tikang Lechon, and Macky's Lechon House.

Festival activities in the morning included a ceremonial lechon chopping, a lechoneros singing competition, and a lechon reinvented cook-off. Vice Mayor Gian Sotto and other city officials led the ceremonial chopping to formally open the festivities.

Afternoon activities were briefly suspended due to heavy rain but later resumed with the launch of the La Loma Gastronomic Map led by Belmonte, followed by a lechon parade, community boodle fight, and cultural performances.

The celebration marked the festival’s continued return after it was suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.