Add’l funds sought for Tisa siomai fest

CEBU City councilors are seeking an additional P400,000 in funding from the City Government for this year’s Siomai sa Tisa Festival, potentially raising financial assistance for the popular barangay celebration to P700,000.

The request came after councilors questioned whether the initial P300,000 allocation was sufficient for the annual festival, given its scale, attendance and expanding lineup of activities.

The Siomai sa Tisa Festival is scheduled to run from Sept. 18 to 27, 2026, in Barangay Tisa.

Funding disparity

The City Council was discussing a resolution authorizing P300,000 from the City Sponsored Activities Fund when members raised concerns over the disparity between Tisa’s proposed budget and assistance previously granted to other barangay festivals. Councilor Joel Garganera emphasized that Siomai sa Tisa is among the largest barangay-based festivities in the city.

“Of all the barangay-based festivities in the city, I would say Siomai sa Tisa is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in terms of attendance and the degree of festivities,” Garganera said.

He questioned the criteria used by the Cebu City Government in determining financial assistance for barangay-led celebrations. “So, what I am trying to drive at is: what are the basis for financial assistance to barangay-based festivals?” he said.

Varying grants

Councilor Mikel Rama pointed to previous allocations of P700,000 and P500,000 for other barangay celebrations, describing the discrepancy as significant given the prominence of the Tisa event.

“Considering the discrepancy and the varying amounts being granted to other barangays for lesser-known and lesser, if I may say, lesser-value festivals in the amount of 700,000 and 500,000, it’s more than half the amount for the Siomai Festival in Tisa,” Rama said. He described Siomai sa Tisa as “the foremost among the barangay festivals in the City,” adding that “the discrepancy in the amounts is a bit glaring.”

Executive discretion

Councilor Philip Zafra, who sponsored the resolution, explained that financial assistance for City-sponsored activities falls under the executive department’s purview through the Office of the Mayor.

“Per my experience and per my knowledge, as to regard to the City-sponsored activities, it is always within the discretion of the executive department through the Office of the Mayor as to how much they are going to share in assistance to any activities and, in this case, the Siomai sa Tisa,” Zafra said.

Zafra acknowledged that while he supported a larger grant, the council must respect the amount approved by the executive branch. “I would like a bigger amount, as you said, to be extended, but at the end of the day, we will always abide by the assistance approved by the Office of the Mayor,” he said.

Following the discussion, the council approved a corollary motion requesting Mayor Nestor Archival to consider releasing an additional P400,000 for the festival, which would bring total city assistance to P700,000.

Cultural evolution

The Siomai sa Tisa Festival traces its roots to 2012, when Barangay Tisa launched the celebration in honor of its patron saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz. Following the success of its inaugural staging, the barangay council made the festival an annual event.

Over the years, the celebration evolved from its religious origins into a vibrant cultural community showcase built around Tisa’s signature culinary delicacy. The 10-day event draws wide attention to both its religious roots and local food heritage.

For the City Council, the key question remains whether financial support should reflect the festival’s scale, with the requested additional funding awaiting approval from the mayor. / CAV