Don't worry: DTI says it's not redefining adobo


There is nothing to worry about, adobo lovers.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) gave this assurance to Filipinos following its move to "standardize" Filipino dishes, including the much-beloved adobo.

Pork adobo (Photo by Ellson Quismorio)

The creation of a technical committee to develop Philippine National Standards (PNS) on popular Filipino dishes such as adobo, sinigang, lechon, and sisig is merely geared toward "international promotion," the department clarified.

"Nothing to worry on this. This is just among the many groundwork to develop more creative industry exports," the DTI said in a statement.

"The attempt is to define what we will promote internationally and not what adobo is to different people now," it added.

The DTI explained that there was a suggestion to have consultations among chefs as to what will be in a traditional recipe especially for international promotions.

The agency further said that the panel will serve as a guide so that "your adobo won't become paksiw or humba or your menudo won't become afritada) or we heard there's also adobo from Mexico."

"Again, this is for promotion abroad," DTI reiterated. It's not meant to give a mandatory standard because there are thousands or millions of different "lutong adobo" or ways to cook the viand.

"To many Filipinos, the best adobo is the one cooked at home or cooked by their parents or lola. There is a lot of creativity going on and it must be encouraged," the DTI said.

The DTI– Bureau of Philippine Standards created the technical committee to come up with standards on the basic cooking technique of popular Filipino dishes to "help ordinary citizens, foodies, and food businesses determine and maintain the authentic Filipino Adobo taste."