TOURISM related events highlight first quarter in the highlands.
Department of Tourism (DOT) officer in charge for the Cordillera Jovi Ganongan said offerings of each area in the region must highlight the entire tourism experience for visitors adding the concept of farm to table food and a culinary experience will be achieved.
The regional office has embarked on a Cordillera Heritage Culinary Journey bringing into the limelight traditional ingredients which make indigenous food extraordinary.
Brainchild of former DOT regional director Venus Tan, who now sits as chief operating officer of the Tourism Board, hoped to inspire chefs and restaurant owners to fuse Cordilleran ingredients into their menu bringing the food of the mountains into restaurants.
DOT started with a Cordillera Cuisine project in 2016 aiming to catapult local cuisine into the mainstream by inviting chefs to immerse into local food and find inspiration in the highlands to create a dish using ingredients and techniques by the locals.
The region's major tourism events and festivals start with the La Trinidad Coffee Festival on February 7 to 10 Followed by Tadian in Mountain Province’s celebration of the “Ayyoweng di Lambak Ed Tadian” slated on February 27 to March 3.
The Strawberry Festival themed “La Trinidad, My Home, my Pride” on March 4 to 30, will also be celebrated by Benguet’s capital town, La Trinidad.
Bauko, also in Mountain Province will hold the annual “Begnas di Bauko” on March 14 to 16 while Sabangan town will celebrate the Gagayam Festival in on March 20 to 23.
Baguio City’s celebration of the annual Flower Festival is also slated this month, extending till March with Chanun Foundation’s 9th Tam-awan international Arts Festival on May 22 to 26.
The Tam-awan festival is themed to highlight the culinary heritage of the Philippines in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.