• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Bacolod City government will tap the technical assistance and expertise of an international and a Negros-based slow food movement groups in its bid to develop and implement slow food programs and projects.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez signed the memorandum of agreement with Fondazione Slow Food E.T.S, an international nonprofit organization based in Italy, and The Negros Island Community Promoting and Preserving Traditional Food Inc. in Silay City, for the program implementation, with initial financial assistance of P6.5 million.
The city said it strongly supports the slow food movement and envisions Bacolod to become the Slow Food international hub for the Asia Pacific, adding it has included such program in its Annual Investment Program for 2024-2028.
Slow food is produced or prepared in accordance with local culinary traditions, using locally sourced ingredients. Under the MOA, the Alangilan National High School Garden will be developed into a slow food garden, and the two groups shall assist the city in the promotion of food education, building networks, hosting of events, and the establishment of a slow food international office in Bacolod.
Bacolod is also eyeing the hosting of the Terra Madre Philippines in 2025 and the Terra Madre Asia Pacific in 2027, together with the provincial government of Negros Occidental, and is interested in establishing a slow food educational center in the highly-urbanized city, the MOA states.
Terra Madre is a network of food communities, and launched by the Slow Food organizations to promote small-scale farmers, raisers, fishers, and food artisans, whose approach to food production protects the environment and communities, organizers said.
The first Terra Madre Visayas, hosted by the Slow Food Community of Negros, was held in Bacolod in November last year. | CGC
