A growing number of people making reservations for lechon for the upcoming Christmas and New Year festivities is observed at a store in Balayan, Batangas.

According to Jepoy Malabanan, a lechon vendor, customers are already securing their slots to guarantee a succulent lechon for their holiday feasts.

"Mas marami po ngayon sa tingin ko po kaysa noong nakaraan po. Mas nakilala na po 'yung aking tindahan po eh, marami na pong na-order. Mga taga-ibang bayan po, na-order na rin," Malabanan says.

He says that even before September, some customers already made reservations. He assures customers that he won't raise lechon prices by December.

Malabanan emphasizes the importance of ordering early so they can prepare the order well. 

"Mas maganda po ang mas maaga po na order para ma-prepare na rin po lahat ng mas maaga if ever," he says.

Meanwhile, in Batangas City, Cora de Chavez-Buendia, another lechon vendor, takes a unique approach to track lechon orders - she writes them on paper and posts them on her wall. This method helps her avoid forgetting reservations and plan how many pigs to prepare for orders.

"Para po malaman ko kung ilan 'yung kailangan kong ihanda para sa darating na kapaskuhan at isa pa po para ma-prepare ko ng mabuti 'yung orders para hindi ko po siya malimutan," Buendia says. 

She emphasizes quality over quantity. 

"Ako naman po ay hindi after sa quantity, mas inilalaban ko po ang quality ng aking lechon para balik-balikan po ako ng customers," she says.

Although Buendia has a few reservations listed, she also advises those planning to buy lechon to reserve early to secure their slots.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) assures that the supply of liveweight pigs remains stable, with no expected price increase in the coming months. 

"Wala pa naman, so far. Wala pa naman tayong nakikitang tumaas ‘yung presyo. P170 ‘yung presyo diyan sa Batangas eh, average [is] P170," says SINAG Chairman, Engr. Rosendo So.