Iloilo, UP Visayas protect La Paz Batchoy heritage

The team of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies-Center for West Visayan Studies project “Namit Gid!: A Multistakeholders Collaboration for Ilonggo’s Batchoy” attended a consultation meeting with Mayor Raisa Treñas to discuss efforts to preserve and protect La Paz Batchoy on May 19, 2026. Project team members present were Sashah B. Dioso, project leader; Dr. Mary Rose G. Rebueno, research fellow; Darlene Joy D. Calsado, research fellow; and Aprille Danilly A. Guintibano, senior office assistant.

Representatives from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry Iloilo Provincial Office, and key city government offices also participated in initial discussions on the initiative to safeguard Iloilo’s La Paz Batchoy, possibly through certification mark and geographical indication, or GI, mechanisms.

During the meeting, the team presented the project’s accomplishments and highlighted the possibility of exploring protective mechanisms for La Paz Batchoy through coordinated efforts among stakeholders. Marianne Tajanlangit-Bebit of the IPOPHL outlined a proposed road map that includes organizing producers, documenting culinary traditions, creating product standards, and developing a certification mark that may later pave the way for a formal GI registration application. A GI registration protects goods whose unique qualities or reputation come from their geographical origin.

Treñas discussed the importance of protecting La Paz Batchoy, emphasizing that the beloved Ilonggo dish is not just a culinary staple but an important symbol of Ilonggo identity and heritage. She also expressed full support for the initiative and committed to bringing together stakeholders from the tourism, cultural heritage, and enterprise development sectors.

The proposed initiative draws inspiration from internationally recognized GI products such as Champagne, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Darjeeling tea, as well as the Philippines’ first GI-registered product, Guimaras Mangoes. Other Philippine GI-registered products are Aklan Piña, Alburquerque Asin Tibuok, and T’nalak Tau Sebu.

As Iloilo City continues to promote its identity as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, stakeholders expressed optimism that safeguarding La Paz Batchoy will help preserve the dish’s authenticity while elevating Iloilo’s reputation as a center of culinary heritage in the Philippines. (Aprille Danilly Guintibano)