Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) joins the nationwide celebration and preservation of the Filipino culture during the opening ceremony of the Filipino Food Month (FFM) 2023 with the theme “Pagkaing Sariling Atin, Mahalin at Pagyamanin” held at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall and simultaneously via live stream on April 3, 2023.
Led by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Filipino Food Month Celebration 2023 is in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM).
Engr. Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Chairperson, DA-National Steering Committee for Filipino Food Month Celebration, welcomed everyone who had helped in this movement to promote Filipino food and culture. Engr. Ampatuan encourages everyone to promote Filipino food. He said that “the more that we consume our own [food], there will be much more incentive for our farmers and fisherfolks to produce agricultural products.”
Meanwhile, in his keynote message, His Excellency President and concurrent Department of Agriculture Secretary Mr. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. enjoined everyone to learn the history of Filipino local dishes and delicacies so that we may further understand and strengthen our identity.
“I call for everyone to remain steadfast in promoting and preserving our food heritage as this gives us a glimpse of our customs, beliefs, and values as a society. May this event also provide a platform to acknowledge the role of our local communities, especially our farmers and fisherfolk and other sectors involved in food production, the culinary industry, and national food security,” President Marcos Jr. said.
Subsequently, esteemed representatives of the Filipino Food Month Stakeholders shared their messages of support for this year’s Filipino Food Month Celebration.
NCAA Legal Office Head Atty. Jose Vincenzo A. Vizcarra, DOT Undersecretary Ms. Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, Mr. Clark Jantzen Lim of the PCHM Board of Trustees, and DA Senior Undersecretary Mr. Domingo F. Panganiban have declared their support to the month-long celebration.
Afterward, Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs Ms. Kristine Y. Evangelista said that this month-long event honors our broad and rich culinary legacy which reflects the unique combination of our cultural influence and traditions. Ms. Evangelista said that “we acknowledge the significance of agriculture in our daily lives and that the DA works relentlessly to promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance our food security. Through our efforts to promote Filipino food, we are able to increase the demand and encourage more people to buy what our farmers produce.”
Some other highlights of the program were the presentation of various Filipino delicacies from different offices and attached agencies under the DA. In addition, a Ceremonial Toast and the Unveiling of the Filipino Food Month Celebration 2023 theme were also part of the opening ceremony.
Market Operations Division Chief of PFDA – Navotas Fish Port Complex (PFDA-NFPC) Mr. Melvin Rabang, Public Information Division Officer-in-Charge Mr. Miguel M. Pilarta, and Ms. Mae Angelica R. Medina of PFDA-NFPC represented the agency. They brought with them sinaing na galunggong, a famous Filipino dish from Batangas where the fish is slowly cooked in a pot until the flesh and bones are tender and infused with subtle tangy flavors.
April of every year is declared as Filipino Food Month or Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 469. This national celebration aims to preserve, enrich, and promote Filipino cuisine as part of the nation’s cultural heritage, history, and identity.
(Mark Angelo N. Perez – Public Information Division)