The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has launched Iloilo City’s gastronomy book, “Gastronomic Expressions of Our City, Iloilo: Nature, Culture, and Geography,” marking the celebration of National Heritage Month.
“That was a launch made by NCCA (in Manila) in honor of our gastronomy recognition by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), in time for the National Heritage Month celebration,” outgoing Mayor Jerry Treñas said on Monday.
NCCA partnered with Vibal Group Inc. for the book that will be available in bookstores nationwide and online. It will be done in collaboration with the Ugnayan Center for Filipino Gastronomy and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc.
The 244-page book has six major chapters, including “Geography” by Vicente Segovia Salas; “Ethnicity” by Hazel Palmares Villa; “Ingredients” by Glenda S. Tayona and Pearl Rylene Mae S. Socias, with watercolor illustrations by Ilonggo artists Vic Nabor and Kevin Fernandez; “Technology” by Ted Aldwin Ong; and “Recipes” curated by Treñas and her team.
Iloilo City Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Center Director Maria Lea Victoria Lara said the book immortalizes the legacy of Ilonggo cuisine. It seeks to inspire other communities beyond Iloilo to promote gastronomic tourism and take part in cultural conservation.
“For those who have left Iloilo and now live elsewhere, we hope this book will spark a sense of connection to their roots, encouraging them to visit or even rediscover Ilonggo cuisine through cooking,” she said.
The book project, according to the city government, is the brainchild of the mayor’s wife, Rosalie Sarabia-Treñas.
“It offers profound insights into the influences that have shaped Iloilo’s gastronomic evolution and development — spanning geography, ethnicity, endemic ingredients and technology,” it said.
Treñas wrote the introduction by sharing his childhood food memories, while NCCA Executive Director Dr. Eric Babar Zerrudo wrote the preface “Comfort and Meaning in a Bowl of Batchoy.”
“This book instills a profound sense of pride among Ilonggos. It’s more than just a compilation of recipes and culinary stories — it’s a heartfelt endeavor created for every Ilonggo. We aim to celebrate and preserve our rich gastronomic heritage, ensuring that each dish, each story, and each memory is shared with the world,” Treñas said. (PNA)