EDITORIAL - Much adobo about nothing

It’s good to depart from the usual heavy topics dominating social media, neighborhood gossip, and the news these days. Instead of the usual issues about politics, drugs, and the ongoing pandemic, let us write about Filipino food, particularly our world-famous adobo, which has also been the focus of some controversy recently.

Just recently the Bureau of Philippine Standards, a bureau under the Department of Trade and Industry, proposed setting guidelines and standards for what can be considered not just adobo, but also sinigang, sisig, lechon, and other popular native dishes.

Some people are already up in arms about this issue. Doesn’t the DTI have some more pressing issues in this ongoing pandemic rather than dictate how we can prepare a certain food? Because much has already been said about that particular line of thinking, we will focus on another aspect of this topic; taste.

The bureau proposes setting standards for how a particular dish can be prepared. We also assume that will include what ingredients are used, how they are measured, and what procedures will be carried out.

They mentioned the word “standardize”. That means some things have to be followed. So if something doesn’t comply with standards, like some ingredients are included or omitted, or measured differently, does that mean that particular dish cannot be called adobo, or sinigang, or sisig, or lechon?

Taste is something that you cannot just dictate, especially in a country that has different regions, different ingredients, and different preferences.

Another reason why Philippine cuisine became what it is now --diverse and varied-- is because some people did not like how some dishes tasted and preferred to prepare them in their own unique way.

This is why some dishes can taste like this in one place and like that in another, why adobo, sinigang, sisig, lechon, and other popular native dishes can taste different depending on the region.

This is the variety that makes Philippine cuisine unique.

Well, sure, the bureau can go on and set their own standards, but they cannot expect the people to follow their standards and not grumble. If the people will follow them at all.