Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown expressed his deep appreciation for Filipino food as he goes around the city and nearby provinces to sample popular Pinoy fare.
'Biyahe ni Marc': Australia envoy gets a taste of 'delicious' Pinoy food
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown at the Olongapo market to buy Suman sa Ibos. (Photo from Amb. Innes-Brown)
The envoy, who shared these discoveries on his X (formerly Twitter) account, called them #BiyaheNiMarc.
“On my exploration of Manila I stopped at a Jolly Jeep!,” he wrote in one of the X posts, sharing a reel of the popular trailer- and cart-based food stall in the busy Makati business district.
The food carts are popular among office workers in the area for their affordable and home-styled Filipino dishes. The name was derived from combining the name of a popular fast food chain and jeepney, a popular form of public transportation in the country.
“Behind these affordable, delicious meals are hardworking Filipinos like Myla, who help keep the community fed. Lunch well spent!,” he wrote, using hashtag #BiyaheNiMarc.
From Makati, Innes-Brown also found himself in Taal Lake and Subic Bay to sample the local delicacies there.
“Breathtaking: the many moods of (Philippines) Lake Taal. Really enjoyed the local tawilis and buko pie!,” he said.
(Photo from Ambassador Innes-Brown)
“As part of my business visit to Subic Bay, I stopped at Olongapo market to buy local delicacies Dinamulag mangoes and Suman sa Ibos sticky rice. Delicious! #BiyaheNiMarc,” the ambassador wrote in a separate post.
The envoy also said that while “there is a lot of great food and drinks in the Philippines,” his daughter has a particular fondness for calamansi juice.
“Is there anything better than this?,” he asked about the Filipino version of lemonade.
Innes-Brown is not the first diplomat to post about his local travels and Filipino food explorations in a blog-like format.
Former European Union Ambassador Luc Veron also once had the #BiyaheNiLuc and #MeriendaNiLuc series during his tour of duty in the Philippines.