La Paz batchoy could welcome travelers at Iloilo ports

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

A policy paper published by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) has recommended installing specialized La Paz batchoy stalls at the airports and seaports of Iloilo City and province to boost culinary and cultural tourism.

The paper, “Gateway to Ilonggo Heritage: Batchoy in Iloilo’s Ports,” identified airports and seaports as visitors’ first point of contact with the province and argued that these gateways should showcase Iloilo City’s signature dish as part of its identity as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

“Airports and seaports are the first contact points for domestic and international guests, which makes them strategic arenas to promote local heritage cuisine,” the policy brief stated.

According to the brief, integrating La Paz batchoy into Iloilo’s transport gateways would give visitors an authentic culinary experience while creating new opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

“Having the homegrown heritage cuisine and delicacies at the ports provides a platform from the start—whether it’s a predeparture meal or a mid-journey stopover, these are opportunities to support the local businesses, provide a boost to tourism, and promote culinary heritage,” the paper said.

The brief was authored by Mary Rose G. Rebueno, a faculty member at the UP Visayas College of Management, and published through the UP CIDS Local Regional Studies Network.

It emphasized that Iloilo is missing an opportunity to highlight its culinary heritage because homegrown batchoy establishments are absent from the province’s major transport gateways.

While batchoy is available at the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, the paper noted that it is not served by the iconic local establishments that helped make La Paz batchoy known nationally and internationally.

“This could have brought greater exposure of Iloilo’s culinary heritage to visitors. It also resulted [in] missed economic opportunities for local businesses and reduced potential for Iloilo City to showcase its designation for tourism and local development,” the brief said.

La Paz batchoy is a pork-broth noodle soup topped with offal, crushed chicharron, and garlic that originated in Iloilo City’s La Paz district.

The dish has earned recognition well beyond the province, with Daily Guardian reporting in November 2024 that the online food encyclopedia Taste Atlas rated it the highest among the world’s best offal soups.

The recommendations, which echo earlier batchoy-themed papers from UP CIDS, stemmed from discussions during the Batchoy Stakeholders’ Forum held on Oct. 22, 2025, at Iloilo City Hall.

Restaurant owners, government representatives, and tourism stakeholders identified the absence of batchoy at airports and seaports as a key concern during the forum.

According to the brief, several batchoy operators had previously explored opening airport outlets but were unsuccessful because cooking was prohibited inside the terminal.

The paper noted, however, that one batchoy owner said operators could still find ways to serve hot batchoy if given the opportunity.

The brief noted that the Iloilo City government has no authority over airport concessions.

It cited the Iloilo City government’s lawyer, Rheinhart Pahila, who said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) oversees such matters but that the agency did not send a representative to the forum.

The paper noted that the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Western Visayas expressed support for the proposal but pointed out that CAAP holds authority over commercial spaces at airports.

It recommended designating specific spaces in the arrival and pre-departure sections of the Iloilo International Airport for La Paz batchoy kiosks or food stalls, while giving priority to Iloilo delicacies in food concession areas.

It also proposed similar initiatives in seaports under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), alongside the development of culinary tourism packages, promotional materials, and Ilonggo food trails led by the DOT.

The paper cited international airports that have become culinary destinations in their own right, including Singapore’s Changi Airport, which serves Hainanese chicken rice, satay, and chili crab, and Tokyo’s Narita Airport, known for sushi, ramen, tonkatsu, udon, and soba.

It noted that Cebu’s lechon and Pampanga’s sisig are already sold at the Mactan-Cebu and Clark international airports, respectively.

“Ports, as gateways to tourist destinations, are strategic arenas to promote culinary tourism,” the paper said.

The brief also recommended that stakeholders draft a manifesto supporting the establishment of heritage batchoy outlets at airports and seaports and submit it to the DOT for endorsement to CAAP and the PPA.

It suggested seeking support from the Regional Development Council, the Iloilo Business Club, the Iloilo provincial government, the municipality of Cabatuan, and the academe, particularly UP Visayas.

The paper also noted that Iloilo City’s focal person to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Leny T. Ledesma, expressed support for the proposed manifesto during the forum.

Rebueno said the initiative would reinforce Iloilo City’s global identity as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy while ensuring that visitors encounter authentic Ilonggo cuisine from the moment they arrive in or depart from the province.