Benitez pushes probe on Slow Food’s impact in Visayas

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has filed House Resolution No. 462 directing the House Committee on Visayas Development to conduct an inquiry into the Slow Food Movement and evaluate its contribution to sustainable development in the Visayas region.

Benitez highlighted the movement’s philosophy of “good, clean, and fair food,” which emphasizes the use of local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients, supports small-scale producers, and helps preserve agricultural biodiversity.

He noted that the Slow Food Movement also advocates ethical farming practices and seeks to counter the negative environmental and social impacts of fast food culture and industrial agriculture.

In the Philippines, the Slow Food Negros Organization has played a key role in expanding the movement across the Negros Island Region through initiatives such as the Negros Island Slow Food Earth Market.

The Earth Market promotes culturally rooted and sustainably produced local food, reinforcing the group’s commitment to ecological and culinary preservation.

Benitez said Bacolod City is emerging as a major hub of the Slow Food Movement in Asia, particularly as it prepares to host Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025, one of the organization’s largest regional gatherings.

He emphasized that the movement’s principles advance national development goals by promoting environmental protection, cultural heritage, and inclusive economic growth.

Benitez said understanding the movement’s impact in Negros Occidental could offer insights for improving food security, sustainable agriculture, and local livelihoods across the Visayas.

The resolution instructs the Committee on Visayas Development to study the movement’s merits, examine its relevance to regional development, and recommend ways for local and national governments to support its programs.

The House of Representatives’ website indicated that the resolution was referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Food on Nov. 26.