From overseas tables to local flavors: Welcome to Phl gastronomy tourism

Whether it is adobo simmering in a New York apartment or sinigang being served at a Tokyo gathering, Filipino food has long been a way for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to bring a piece of home wherever they go. Now, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is harnessing that global love for Filipino cuisine to invite travelers to experience the Philippines firsthand.

On 28 May, the DOT launched the “Salo-Salo: Taste the Flavor, Experience the Culture” event to officially roll out the Strategic Framework and Roadmap for Food and Gastronomy Tourism along with Market Tourism as a new tourism sub-product. Held at Food Wanderer x Lakbay Museo in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, the event gathered officials, tourism leaders, culinary advocates, and cultural workers in celebration of food as a powerful tool for storytelling and tourism.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the roadmap places Filipino cuisine at the heart of the country’s tourism efforts and aims to elevate food not just as a product, but as an experience that reflects Filipino identity and culture.

“Today, the Department of Tourism affirms that truth with action. We launched the Food and Gastronomy Tourism Roadmap and Market Tourism Product Development Program, not as slogans but as strategies designed to deliver work, build pride, and position Filipino culinary culture where it belongs, at the center of national and regional development in the eyes of the world,” Frasco said in her keynote address.

The roadmap provides guidance for public and private stakeholders to promote food and gastronomy tourism, encourage deeper appreciation of local cuisine, and support cultural storytelling rooted in the country’s regional diversity.

To complement the roadmap, the DOT also launched Market Tourism, a program that aims to transform traditional public markets into dynamic community tourism hubs. Local governments and tourism stakeholders will be equipped with tools and modules to integrate markets into cultural tourism development.

The modules were created by a team that includes tourism professionals, cultural workers, and culinary experts such as Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco, Ige Ramos, Ivan Man Dy, and Clang Garcia, among others. These resources will help communities present their markets not just as places of trade, but as cultural spaces where history and flavor meet.

Also in attendance were Department of Agriculture Director Junibert E. De Sagun, Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corporation President and CEO Dr. Lawrence Li Tan, and representatives from gastronomy and tourism organizations.

Frasco highlighted recent achievements in food tourism such as the arrival of the Michelin Guide in the country and the successful hosting of the UN Tourism Regional Gastronomy Forum in Cebu. She also pointed to Bacolod City's recognition as Asia’s Slow Food Hub and praised efforts in cities like Iloilo, now a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, and Angeles City, named Asia’s Best Emerging Culinary City.

“On the domestic front, we are proud of our cities and communities. All of these achievements are a result of collective effort. And to those who have stood with us, I express my deepest gratitude,” Frasco said.

Senator Loren Legarda, a staunch advocate of heritage preservation, called the launch a “significant milestone” and praised its impact on community empowerment. “This initiative spotlights the quiet artistry of our farmers, fisherfolk, market vendors, and local cooks,” she said in a message delivered by DOT Undersecretary Maria Rica Bueno.

“Let us ensure that when the world tastes the Philippines, it is our truth they savor unfiltered, heartfelt, and beautifully ours,” the senator added.

Following the launch, guests explored Food Wanderer x Lakbay Museo through immersive food stations and module presentations supported by iconic Filipino brands such as Mama Sita’s, Mang Inasal, and Destileria Limtuaco. Later in the day, Secretary Frasco led a culinary tour of Malabon, a city known for its heritage dishes, followed by a Binondo Food Wok, where visitors explored the flavors and stories of the world’s oldest Chinatown.

“This is a historic moment. For the first time, gastronomy has been formally incorporated in the National Tourism Development Plan, not as an afterthought, but as a central pillar of our tourism strategy,” Frasco said.

As more travelers taste Filipino food abroad and grow curious about the culture behind it, this becomes an opportunity to bring that curiosity home. Through these strategic programs, the country will soon be serving more than just food. Instead, it will be a flavorful invitation to explore the Philippines.