TACLOBAN CITY – The local government of Palo, Leyte has launched an initiative to champion the ‘slow food’ movement, aiming to preserve the town’s rich culinary heritage while countering the growing influence of fast food culture.
Dubbed “An Kultura han Pagkaon ha Palo” (The Culinary Heritage of Palo), the project seeks to highlight traditional gastronomy while promoting the principles of good, clean, and nutritious food—the essence of slow food.
Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla emphasized the uniqueness of the town’s dishes, saying they carry distinct flavors that make them instantly recognizable as Palo’s own.
“While some of our dishes, which are all healthy, are also served in other localities, the distinct flavors set them apart, making it easy to identify that they are from Palo,” Petilla said during a recent media conference.
She also noted that each dish tells a story, reflecting the town’s history, traditions, and deep cultural roots. She expressed delight that local restaurants and hotels are embracing Palo’s heritage by offering traditional dishes, further popularizing them.
According to independent food scholar Ige Ramos, who is featured in the project, slow food is the direct opposite of fast food, which dominates today’s fast-paced lifestyle.
“Slow food is prepared using traditional methods and high-quality local ingredients, preserving authentic flavors while promoting healthy eating,” Ramos explained.
Beyond food advocacy, the project aims to preserve culinary traditions, sustain local cooking practices, and revitalize authentic flavors unique to Palo. It also promotes organic farming, food biodiversity, fair trade, and ethical, sustainable food production and consumption.
To further its mission, the local government has established the Palo Gastronomy Society, a group dedicated to preserving and promoting the town’s rich gastronomic legacy.
Society members are committed to safeguarding traditional dishes such as ‘suman’’, arasip’, ‘mola-bola’, ‘lechon’’, kinilaw’, and vegetable-based dishes like ‘lawot-lawot’’ and dagmay’, all made from locally sourced ingredients.
By embracing the slow food movement, Palo is not only fostering a more sustainable and equitable food system but also ensuring that its unique culinary heritage is preserved for future generations.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
