On Eid al-Adha, DOT launches Halal food tourism
MANILA, Philippines— The Department of Tourism on Tuesday launched the Halal Culinary Tourism series coinciding with the celebration of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha.
The video series, whichcan be viewed on DOT’s social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, showcases unique culinary finds in Mindanao.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that this initiative does not only promote the heritage of Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao but the region as a destination.
Halal, which means, “permissible,” according to Puyat is something that is “clean and good for the health.”
“Food is an important part of a tourism experience. It gives us a glimpse of a place’s culture and heritage. Through the development of Halal Culinary Tourism, we are encouraging the discovery and familiarity with the traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters,” the tourism chief said.
“Halal is not exclusive to Muslims, it is for everybody. This is what we want to introduce through this project,” she added.
The development of Mindanao Halal culinary tourism is DOT’s project with the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
This initiative also eyes to document the culinary practices of the area; create experiences and attractions by local government units (LGUs) and private enterprises for tourists; and promote Halal Tourism industry in the regions of Mindanao through culinary and heritage mapping.
The video series featured Halal-certified and Muslim-friendly establishments across Mindanao regions such as the following:
- Black Seed Burger in Davao City – An establishment offering “black seed” on burger, a traditional herb among western Asian culture that is believed to have medicinal values;
- SpiChef in Davao City – An establishment offering the Mango Pineapple hot sauce, an innovation of fresh and natural herbs and spices;
- Bay Tal Mal in Zamboanga City – An establishment offering traditional Moro cuisines like Tiyulah Itum that is usually served during special occasions
- Hashy’s Cuisine in Cotabato City in BARMM - One of the pioneering Halal-certified sites in the region. Its culinary highlight is Sinina Kambing, a traditional Maguindanaon dish.
- Babu Kwan and Torogan Kape in Cagayan de Oro City
- Pater al-Kuwait House of Palapa in Iligan City
- Dennis Coffee Garden in Zamboanga City
- Mama Ping in Cotabato City
- Tambilawan Kamayan Restaurant in General Santos City
- Radin’s Guinamos in Agusan del Sur.
The DOT has been staging various gastronomic events and promoting food and farm tourism around the country as it seeks to make Philippines an international culinary destination.
