Direk Matti doesn’t know what makes Cebuano food tick

Yesterday was Labor Day and since we had no office, I had the time to check out Netflix’s special episode entitled “Street Food Asia”. It features street food from all over Asia, Singapore, Bangkok, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, India and in the Philippines, the episode was actually done in Cebu. Why not? Cebu is also in the Philippines! Apparently, those who have seen this show complained about Filipino videomaker Erik Matti who pointed out that the Cebu episode, specifically in Cordova, bordered on “poverty porn”. Yes, it dealt more about the poverty of the fisherman than the food itself…which is bakasi!

Here’s a letter that I took from my Facebook page regarding this episode about Cebu:

 “Dear Mr. Matti. What's bizarre to you may be breakfast for me. That's always been one of the profoundly beautiful things about food. Curry is not just India, as India is not just curry. North Vietnam is known for Pho and the south is known for Banh Mi. But their country is known for both and more. There are limitless versions of Mee and Kway Teow around Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (and Indonesia has lechon too). And not all of Thailand is raving over Pad Thai. Food, much like our English accents, is always different in every country, region, province, city, barangay, even in every household.

I bet your mom makes kare-kare differently from my Manileño dad. But that should not mean one is better than the other. Food, most importantly, is a personal experience. What's four-star to you may be sauteed shit for me.

I call it good research because they dug so deep that even some Cebuanos wouldn't probably be so familiar. But how we react - curious to discover, or bitter because we weren't featured - depends entirely on our character.

And before you even think poverty porn, I would like you to see how much Land Cruisers and excecutive sedans park at this small one-way eskinita at Guadalupe, lining up for Doming's ngohiong. Observe how the successful market stall owners of Carbon market look after their vegetable stores in the morning, and get picked up by their chauffeur-driven luxury vans at the end of the day. And drop your jaw at how the rich and famous of Cebu walk on gravel in their stilettos at Sugbo Mercado, the biggest, noisiest, most crowded food market in the country.

 Challenge you, Mr. Matti. I will tour you around Cebu on a street food buffet. We will go to all those places rightfully featured by Netflix and then some. But I will do all that under one condition - whether you prove yourself right about our food and culture, or prove yourself terribly wrong and realize that we do offer some of the best street food in this country - I don't ever want to see your face in my province ever again. Yours truly and always hungry. – JD Sulit.”

It only proves that Mr. Matti doesn’t really know what makes Cebuano food tick. If I were asked by Netflix to do this show, I would have given more importance to ngohiong, which for me a truly Cebuano delicacy to be eaten only with “puso” or hanging rice. Sure bakasi is a delicacy that is available in Cordova, but focus on ngohiong (you can only have it in Cebu) and you have perfectly shown what Cebu street food truly is! Oh yes, you can also talk about lechon in Talisay or in Carcar, but then that is for another episode if you have another one.

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While I understand that the old airport terminal is still being fixed, I got a letter-complaint from a good friend, Maxcy Borromeo, who wrote me an email: “Hi Bobit. There are only two X-ray machines working at the Domestic Airport today for all airline passengers. The lines are up to the street as shown on the pictures that I am sending. This will become worst when the sun is up. I am here lining up at 5 a.m. Hope you can call in and pressure the airport admin to be more proactive. You only have the guards and screening personnel bearing the brunt of complaints from irate customers.

Thank you and best regards, Maxcy.”

I hope that Mr. Andrew Harrison would look into this complaint. After all, passengers should not be exposed on the street because they are reconstructing the old terminal.

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