NAMIT!: Connecting culture and strengthening the Ilonggo identity

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Text and photos by Bombette Golez Marin

The Provincial Tourism Office, together with the Provincial Agriculture Office and SM City Iloilo, celebrates Filipino Food Month with NAMIT! Celebrating the Culinary Traditions of Iloilo Province on April 29-30, 2026, at the mall’s event center.

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 469, April is celebrated as Filipino Food Month, or Buwan ng Kalutong Filipino, which highlights the richness of Philippine culinary traditions and promotes Filipino cuisine as an essential expression of the country’s cultural identity.

The opening day on April 29 at 1:30 p.m. will feature a seminar-lecture organized by the College of Hospitality Management of Central Philippine University. Focusing on local and heritage food in the province of Iloilo, the lectures will highlight “Flavors of Heritage: Preserving and Promoting Iloilo’s Culinary Identity.” Speakers will discuss topics concerning understanding heritage cuisine; iconic Ilonggo dishes and ingredients; food, culture, and identity; local food and tourism development; and sustainability and innovation — preserving authenticity in modern cuisine. April 30 at 2 p.m. will showcase the different ways of cooking pork adobo and all-meat dinugu-an through a competition.

Iloilo is one of the Philippines’ top gastronomic playgrounds. Ilonggos have a deep passion for food, with a rich culinary tradition enhanced by diverse regional influences. Food is an important component of Ilonggo culture. Many visitors to Iloilo often have food as their first point of contact in experiencing and learning about our culture.

Many towns have different ways of making the same dish, and visitors can learn a lot about our communities’ culture by being curious about these differences. For example, Miagao’s baye-baye looks and tastes completely different from what one may find in Guimbal or Pavia. The town’s way of cooking the kakanin is shaped by its own lived experiences that hold cultural and personal significance, making it so uniquely delicious.

Food practices and traditions help communicate a community’s cultural values. Reproducing these values over time and across generations will help bolster our sense of having a distinct identity, different from other regional groups. Our food has become an important component of our local identity, so much so that some of our local governments take action to protect domestic food industries in an effort to preserve our distinct Ilonggo culture.

It should come as no surprise that Iloilo, as a culinary destination, has some of the most exciting food-related events in the region. NAMIT!, now in its fifth year, is an opportunity to celebrate the local culinary traditions that have thrived in our communities for many years and continue to do so today. The event celebrates the unique flavors, traditions, and stories that define Ilonggo food.

Food serves not only as a means of nourishment essential for survival but also as a way for people to engage with and better understand other cultures. It offers a unique opportunity to broaden our understanding of communities. It has the ability to bring people together and create a sense of connection.

Eating is a medium through which people gather, socialize, and create bonds. People celebrate, commemorate, tend to one another, and enact rituals through food. By exploring our diverse cuisines, we can gain insights into the history of various societies, their traditions, and social structures.

NAMIT! is in cooperation with Central Philippine University through the College of Hospitality Management, SM Store, and #DailyGuardian.