President Marcos urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) not only to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), but also help promote gastronomic tourism.
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)
Marcos made the call in his latest vlog entitled “Chibog” about how OFWs can aid the Philippines in bringing more attention to its culinary delights.
“Patuloy po natin suportahan ang ating mga lokal na pagkain at produkto. Suportahan natin ang ating mga MSMEs (Let us continue supporting our local food and products. Let us support our MSMEs),” he said.
“Sa mga OFW, ipasubok pa natin ang pagkaing Filipino sa ating mga kaibigang dayuhan. Tapos ay imbitahin na natin dito sa atin sa Pilipinas (To the OFWs, let your foreigner friends try our Filipino food. Then, let us invite them over here in the Philippines),” the President added.
In his vlog, he highlighted the rich culture and diversity of Filipino cuisine, which he said is already gaining popularity in many parts of the world as travel vloggers and influencers shone the spotlight on it.
Marcos even shared that he already tried the popular street food “pares,” a Filipino-style braised beef stew often served with garlic rice and soup in street carts. Some restaurants have also elevated the traditional pares and serve it in a fine dine-in setup.
The Chief Executive also cited the online travel site TasteAtlas, which included the Philippines in its top 100 countries with the best food.
The site also ranked Makati City as one of the “best food cities and region in the world, while sour soup dish sinigang placed 97th for best dishes, lumpiang shanghai as 93rd for best street food, and “Pinoy cooking” at 33rd spot for best cuisines in the world.
Marcos believes that the recent ranking of Filipino cuisine will further improve if more tourists will discover Filipino dishes.
But this will only become possible if they’re able to visit the country through gastronomic tourism and sample the cuisines served here.
“Food does not just feed the stomach ika nga, it also feeds the soul,” he said.
The President also gamely responded to questions from the netizens, sharing his favorite street food—the balut or incubated duck egg—and the comfort food he and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos most enjoy.
He also revealed the favorite food of their sons Sandro, Simon, and Vinny.
But asked what food or restaurant in his hometown of Ilocos Norte should be given the prestigious Michelin star, Marcos said it would have to be the dinardaraan, bagnet, empanada, miki and grilled seafood, among others.