Cheyenne Suarez

Plating the future: What’s next for PH food tourism?

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ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1748654069160tourism.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Locals and tourists enjoy Filipino food and cultural performances during the DOT’s “Salo-Salo sa Palengke” at Ayala Malls Manila Bay on May 28, 2025. The event promotes local cuisine and market tourism under the &#x27;Philippine Experience&#x27; campaign. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/>Locals and tourists enjoy Filipino food and cultural performances during the DOT’s “Salo-Salo sa Palengke” at Ayala Malls Manila Bay on May 28, 2025. The event promotes local cuisine and market tourism under the &#x27;Philippine Experience&#x27; campaign. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News MANILA — A shared food, a shared heritage.</div>That was the underlying message behind the Department of Tourism&#x27;s (DOT) “Salo-Salo: Taste the Flavor, Experience the Culture” held May 28 in Parañaque City. The event aimed to spotlight Filipino cuisine as a central piece of the country’s cultural and tourism identity.Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco led the day-long program, which marked the official launch of the Strategic Framework and Roadmap for Food and Gastronomy Tourism, a government initiative and commitment not only to elevate the local culinary scene to the global stage but also to solidify its role in cultural preservation.The food and gastronomy tourism roadmap aims to catapult Filipino cuisine as a key pillar of tourism and drive greater global appreciation for it.&quot;For the first time, gastronomy has been formally incorporated in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) not just as an afterthought but as a central pillar of our tourism strategy,&quot; Frasco said.Beyond focusing solely on the beautiful beaches and iconic landmarks the country is known for, the DOT also seeks to position food as a gateway to cultural heritage. With each region boasting its distinctive dishes, the Philippines offers a rich variety of food and beverages that celebrate Filipino identity through immersive, taste-driven experiences.<div>Inclusive, collaborative</div>While the roadmap is projected to be economically sustainable and commercially viable, the DOT affirms its commitment to inclusivity.A key element of the strategy is the promotion of regional cuisines, ensuring that the diverse culinary identities across the archipelago are represented.To further diversify the country&#x27;s tourism portfolio through multidimensional tourism, the roadmap also considers initiatives such as the development of halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, heritage villages for cultural communities, and the preservation of farms and heritage sites.The development of the DOT’s strategic framework involved collaboration with various key players and stakeholders in the industry, including local government units, academic institutions, civil society groups, international organizations, and the private sector.&quot;It is a bottom-up strategy, created in partnership with the people who know our food best,&quot;  Frasco said.With the roadmap&#x27;s overarching vision to position the Philippines as a premier food and gastronomy tourism destination in Southeast Asia by 2029, the roadmap calls for a collaborative approach. Stakeholders across various sectors are expected to actively participate in planning, refining, and implementing this program to champion Filipino cuisine.&quot;It is only in recent times with the help of our dedicated partners across the country, that we are finally seeing all these aspirations become concrete programs and articulated in national policy, securing its institutionalization for years to come,&quot; the tourism chief added.<div>A future served with flavor </div>The presence of Philippine food tourism is slowly gaining recognition in international discourse, fueled by the idea that food connects, preserves, and tells the story of a nation.&quot;Let&#x27;s keep telling the Filipino story, one meal, one market, and one proud community at a time,&quot; said Frasco. Poised to link memory with flavor and culture with experience, Filipino cuisine is setting the table for a future where food becomes a bridge toward economic growth and cultural preservation.

The Department of Tourism's 'Salo-Salo: Taste the Flavor, Experience the Culture' held recently aimed to spotlight Filipino cuisine as a central piece of the country’s cultural and tourism identity.

The Department of Tourism's 'Salo-Salo: Taste the Flavor, Experience the Culture' held recently aimed to spotlight Filipino cuisine as a central piece of the country’s cultural and tourism identity.

Plating the future: What’s next for PH food tourism?

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Plating the future: What’s next for PH food tourism?

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Chim Cantos

Published May 31, 2025 10:00 AM PHT

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DOT

food tourism

Filipino food

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