Pinoy dishes significant in country’s experiential tourism —Marcos

Filipino cuisine is very significant in the country’s push for experiential tourism, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Friday. 

“Mahalaga ang lahat ng ito sa ating isinusulong na tinatawag na experiential tourism (This is important in our push for experiential tourism),” Marcos said in his speech during the national launch of the Filipino Food Month.

The President said it is very important for foreign tourists to know the Filipino dishes, noting that it is not enough that visitors only see the country’s tourist spots.

?“Anong ibig sabihin niyan? Ang nauso ngayon sa pagka – pag-tourist, ayaw naman ng turista na pumunta lang sa ilang lugar, uupo lang sa tabi ng dagat, magbabasa ng libro, walang ginagawa,” Marcos said. 

(What does that mean? If you’re a tourist you can’t just go to a certain place, sit and just read a book.) 

“Ngayon, ang gusto ng mga turista, mayroon silang nakikita, mayroon silang nararanasan na masayang ginagawa. At napakalaking halaga – napakalaking halaga na ipakilala natin ang pagkaing Pilipino,” he added. 

(Tourists prefer to do something that will make them happy. It’s very important that we highlight the Filipino food.) 

Marcos emphasized that once foreigners taste the Filipino cuisine, they will also learn the culture.

“Dahil kapag nakakain na ang isang dayuhan nang masarap, kahit ano man na klaseng Filipino food, basta’t natikman na niya, malaki na ang kanyang pag-unawa sa kultura ng Pilipino,” Marcos said.

(Once a foreigner eats Filipino food, he or she will understand the Filipino culture.)

“Kaya naman sa bawat paglalakbay natin sa mga rehiyon ng Pilipinas, natutuklasan po natin ang tiyaga at husay ng Pinoy sa pagluluto,” he added.

(In our trips in every region, we will know the hard work and expertise of Filipinos in cooking.) 

Marcos, a native of Ilocos Norte, also highlighted the special cuisines from their province, particularly dinengdeng and bagnet. 

He also mentioned the specialty of Pampanga, which is the sisig; laing of Bicol, lechon from Cebu; and the piyanggang manok from Mindanao. —AOL, GMA Integrated News