Councilor proposes standards body for ‘City of Gastronomy’

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

A Sangguniang Panglungsod member of Iloilo City has tabled a proposition for establishing a council that would develop standards for the city’s food value chains, coinciding with its recent designation as a Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO.

Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia has put forward an ordinance for the formation of the Iloilo City Gastronomy and Food Industry Development Council.

This entity would be responsible for regulating and implementing industry standards at every juncture of the city’s food value chain, which encompasses the progression of food products from cultivation through production, marketing, and distribution.

The proposed council is expected to establish ‘sectoral core groups’ to concentrate on specific facets of the food industry, such as Production and Distribution; Health and Nutrition; Research and Data Keeping; Skills Training, Technology Transfers, and Food Industry Practice Standards; Media Promotions; and Special Events.

The city mayor and the director of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) Center would co-chair the council, with the president of the Iloilo Hotels, Restaurants, and Resorts Association serving as the vice-chairperson.

The council would also include the city council’s committee chairpersons on Markets and Trade, heads of various city offices such as the City Agriculturist’s Office, City Planning and Development Office, and others, along with the chairperson of the Panay Organic Producers Association as regular members.

It would also feature representatives from different industry sectors and honorary members from key regional departments.

An additional aim is to create the ‘Ilonggo Food Heritage Accreditation System’, a star-rating system for assessing food-related businesses based on criteria such as the use of quality products, mastery of preparation techniques, authenticity, value, and consistency.

The ordinance also envisages an ‘Annual Ilonggo Gastronomy Competition’, in partnership with the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), inviting private individuals or representatives from food establishments to demonstrate their culinary prowess in traditional and innovative Ilonggo dishes.

Sarabia expressed the ordinance’s overarching goal to the media on Wednesday, following UNESCO’s recognition in November 2023.

“We are advocating for gastronomy, yet not all restaurants are on the same level. An accreditation system is necessary to prevent any potential detriment to the city’s reputation,” he remarked.

“There are obligations that come with the UNESCO award, which entail certain expectations and standards. It’s our view that our food industry must evolve,” he continued.

He also justified the absence of smaller food establishments from the proposed council, suggesting that they would indirectly benefit from the implementation of the standards and regulations.

“We’ll consider including them, as having too many members could impede reaching a quorum. However, they will incidentally gain advantages, because elevating the quality standards and best practices of our food industry means that all businesses, including micro, small, and medium enterprises, will be encompassed,” Sarabia explained.

In addition to this, the city council granted Mayor Jerry Treñas the authority to enter into an agreement with the IFFI for the production of a cookbook, fulfilling one of the city’s commitments to UNESCO following its recognition as a City of Gastronomy.