As part of the Muslim festival Eid’l Adha last July, the Deparment of Tourism launched Halal Culinary Tourism, aiming to spotlight the cuisine of Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The initiative is a project of the DOT with the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), which launched as a video series featuring a wide variety of Halal-certified and Muslim-friendly establishments. The launch video also featured a range of regional dishes from across Mindanao - whether it’s a plate of Tiyulah Itum, a Moro meat stew with charred coconut flesh, or Sinina Kambing - a Maguindanaoan curry-style dish served during special occasions like Kalilang or Kanduli.
"Food is an important part of a tourism experience,” said tourism secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat.
It gives us a glimpse of a place's culture and heritage.”
Aside from promoting the culinary and cultural heritage of Mindanao, the project is an effort to document culinary practices in the area - an opportunity for local government units, private enterprises, and tourists to explore the local and regional cuisines of the Philippines.
You can view the Halal Culinary Tourism video series on DOT’s social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.