Baguio, Benguet join Food Month celebration

The public is invited to the One Town One Product (OTOP) activity slated from April 2 to May 7 at the Ibaloy Heritage Garden showcasing the various cuisine and other products of the 13 municipalities of Benguet and the Summer Capital.     

The event is conducted by the Onjon Ni Ivadoy Association, Inc. in coordination with the local governments of Baguio and Benguet, Departments of Agriculture and Tourism, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement.    

Onjon president Maximo Edwin Bugnay Jr. said the activity is in celebration of April as Filipino Food Month or ‘Buwan ng Katutubong Pilipino’ with the theme, “Pagkaing Pilipino, Susi sa Pag-unlad at Pagbabago”.   

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation no. 469 signed in 2018, the national celebration of Filipino Food Month aims to appreciate, preserve, promote, and ensure the transmission of the vast Filipino culinary traditions and treasures to future generations and to support the various industries, farmers, and agri-communities.   

Bugnay said the city council approved the conduct of the celebration at the Ibaloy Heritage Garden, Burnham Park (between the Children’s Playground and Orchidarium).   The Onjon ni Ivadoy Association, Inc.  is the largest aggrupation of Ibaloys, the earliest settlers of Baguio, in the Cordillera region. – Gaby B. Keith