ILOILO City – This southern city, the first and only Creative City of Gastronomy in the Philippines designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is sharing its unique food culture and identity with the world through a gastronomy book.
After almost a year in the making, the Iloilo City Government and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI), together with stakeholders, officially launched Iloilo City’s gastronomy book titled “Gastronomic Expressions of Our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography” at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) over the weekend.
The launch was led by Iloilo City’s First Lady Rosalie Treñas, who spearheaded the project, along with the invaluable efforts of Raisa Treñas, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas’ Executive Assistants Maria Mathilde Treñas and Leny Ledesma, and Iloilo City MICE Center Director Lea Lara.
“Iloilo City has a unique identity, and this gastronomy book, alongside four other books published under my administration, will help us feel proud of our unique identity,” Treñas underscored.
The city mayor acknowledged how the book came about through the city’s collaboration with the private sector via the IFFI.
The 244-page book, which consists of six chapters that highlight the flavors and stories that make Iloilo a culinary gem, is the first gastronomy book of Iloilo City since it was designated as a Creative City of Gastronomy.
With five local Ilonggo writers as contributors, it underwent the editing skills of renowned book editor Michaela Fenix and editor-designer Guillermo “Ige” Ramos.
“I am so proud of this book because it’s hyperlocal and it’s a premium book that can stand alongside any UNESCO event in the city for Gastronomy, whether it’s in Macau, Mexico, or Texas. We are proud to represent the Philippines through the lens of the Ilonggos,” Ramos expressed during the launch of the book.
The University of the Philippines Visayas Chancellor, Dr. Clement Camposano, who contributed a blurb for the book, also shared the same thought that it is “about confirming our authenticity as Ilonggos and as Filipinos.”
Raisa Treñas, on her part, acknowledged how the collective efforts of all the stakeholders have been instrumental in the successful bid of the city for the Creative City of Gastronomy title.
She shared how food binds their family just like other Ilonggo families.
“This is maybe one of the reasons why Iloilo City was given the City of Gastronomy title, because food is part of our culture; food is part of our everyday life,” she added.
Raisa also emphasized the importance of documenting the stories of Ilonggo cuisine through a gastronomy book.
“I am excited to have more collaborations as we continue to have more books and more stories about Ilonggo gastronomy, culture, and heritage all over the world. Congratulations to the team,” Raisa added./PN
