Legarda welcomes UNESCO designation of Iloilo as City of Gastronomy

Iloilo City has been recognized for its one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience. The recognition came from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

"Felicitations are in order for our Ilonggo kababayans as their unique culinary identity was recognized by a widely respected body such as UNESCO, and we hope to push tourism there even further," said Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, a veteran lawmaker known for her cultural advocacies, and a proud daughter of the island of Panay, who welcomed the addition of the Visayan metropolis to the prestigious list.

"We express our deepest gratitude to UNESCO for including Iloilo as one of the 55 new cities included in the UCCN in commemoration of World Cities Day. It brings the Philippines great pride and honor," said Legarda, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts.

"I am confident our Ilonggo countrymen are committed to keeping the city's spirit alive through their appreciation of history, culture, heritage, and commitment to serving the best dishes," she continued.

Iloilo and other cities such as Casablanca, Morocco, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Toulouse, France were named to the list, which now has totaled over 350. The list, created in 2004, seeks to foster international cooperation across cities of the world that invest in culture and creativity as accelerators of sustainable development, per UNESCO.

It represents seven creative fields — namely crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music — with all of them being recognized for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and displaying innovative practices in human-centered urban planning.

In 2017, Baguio City was included in the crafts and folk art category, while in 2019, Cebu City was designated a creative city of design.

Legarda, a four-term senator, has continued pushing for the creation of a Department of Culture, which would institutionalize programs and activities that promote cultural heritage and national identity. As a staunch advocate of promoting the culture and the arts, she has also filed several proposed measures for conserving Philippine traditions and heritage.