Officials from the Department of Agriculture, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Department of Tourism raise a glass to kick off Filipino Food Month on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (Photo by JEAN MANGALUZ / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The annual Filipino Food Month (FFM) kicked off on Tuesday with the goal of letting more people know about the Philippines’ culinary heritage.
A joint effort from the Department of Agriculture, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA), and the Department of Tourism, FFM is a month-long series of activities.
“Filipino food has long played a significant role in the lives of the Filipino people. It has the ability to bind people together with many different backgrounds. Thus, this year’s [FFM] aims to promote and raise awareness about the history behind our culinary heritage and recognize its role in our lives,” the NCAA said in a statement.
Some of the activities include a “Concert at the Park,” which will have performances about dishes from all over the country.
Another project is the “Hapag ng Pamana” or the “Table of Heritage,” which is a food expo in partnership with selected local government units.
The NCAA will also host a Kaincon Filipino Food Conference, a three-day event at the Jose Rizal University from April 3 to 5.
“This conference will be highlighting the vision of the FFM which is to educate and preserve Filipino culinary heritage and traditions. The project believes that educating people, especially through food, is the best way to preserve our culinary heritage,” the NCAA said.
April is mandated as the “Buwan ng Kalutong Filipino” according to Proclamation 469 series of 2018.