Lechon Festival at The Mactan New Town Lapu Lapu City, Cebu

The Ironman is happening today, August 10, 2025. A yearly triathlon event held in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu, where tourists and locals compete to be called “The Iron Man of 2025”. These events measure the endurance of the player as they race in swimming, running, and cycling. Aside from the Sinulog Festival, this is also one of the celebrations where tourists flock, and most of the hotels are already fully booked at this time.

Beyond this competition, the Mactan Newtown also opens its grounds as the center of the celebration, giving way to one of the most well-known Filipino dishes like lechon or roasted pig, which they call the 'Lechon Festival, ' where most of the stalls sell lechon and other Filipino cuisine. Most of the lechon being served here is cooked in the Mactan New Town roasting area, and you can even watch as the lechon is being roasted in the spot.

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While we were on our way home with my family, we passed that group of food stalls, and my child said, “Let’s eat first” I couldn’t say no to my kids' request, especially if they ask for food. I always give in. Besides, it’s been quite a while since we last had lechon. I thought the lechon would be expensive per kilo here, but I was surprised to see that the price was almost the same as the regular lechon you’d find elsewhere. It costs ₱1,000 per kilo ( 127.713 steem), or even a bit less.

I ordered half a kilo for ₱500 ( 63.86 steem) since we might not be able to consume it if more, and it was already quite enough for the four of us. I paired it with 20 pieces of ‘puso’ (hanging rice), which cost ₱5 ( 0.6386 steem)each. Altogether, I paid ₱600 (76.62 steem). I didn’t allow them to drink soda drinks or anything sweet, so we just bought bottled water at ₱25 each (3.19 steem). My husband said, 'It’s amazing, it’s like we paid the same amount we usually spend at fast food places, and yet we got lechon!'. Honestly, in some places, lechon is sold for ₱1,200 to ₱1,400 per kilo, depending on the location. It’s even more expensive if you’re in exclusive restaurants.

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The lechon was bursting with flavor to the bone, the skin perfectly crispy, and the meat melted in your mouth tender. Around us, tourists from Korea, America, and Japan were enjoying it too. Most of them were checked in at Mactan Newtown or other nearby hotels. A lot of foreigners have come to love the taste of lechon. As they say, if you're visiting Cebu, lechon should be the first thing you try. Just a little trivia, this dish was inherited from Spain during the time we were colonized. We still cherish it to this day. It’s a true Filipino icon, loved so much that visitors come from afar just to taste it.

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And if lechon isn’t your thing, there’s still plenty more to enjoy. Barbecue, seafood, takoyaki, and so much more. They had fruit juices and shakes too, though, with the rainy, chilly weather, I noticed that not many were opting for cold drinks.

So if you’re in Mactan for the Ironman, you’ll find plenty of budget friendly food. And don’t miss the yearly “Lechon Festival” held on this date. The view is also great, as it’s right across from the towering buildings of Mactan Newtown. It’s very easy to access too, it’s just near the main road of Mactan in front of the Sto. Parish Church.

Heading home, you’ll carry the excitement of the Ironman and the unforgettable flavor of Cebu’s lechon. A simple pleasure that stays with you. Truly, a memory to treasure.

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Date posted: August 10, 2025}