34  MABUHAY MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

MANILA TURNED

HEADS WHEN

MADRID FUSION, the

authority in gastronomy,

allowed her to host the 2015

congress and exhibition. “In

fact, just after our hosting,

CNN.com ranked the

Philippines second among the

destinations with the world’s

best food,” said Secretary

Ramon Jimenez, Jr. of the

Department of ourism (DO).

But Madrid Fusion did not put

Manila in the gastronomical

map—rather, it helped people

remember why Manila is

deserving of its place. Tis year’s

theme celebrates the Manila

Galleon, the trading ships that

sailed from Acapulco to Manila

and back, from 16th century to

1815, facilitating exchange of

goods from porcelain to spices.

“In more ways than one, we are

in everyone’s way,” said Jimenez.

He continues, “Not a lot of

people know that the Galleon

rade, for example, facilitated

the transfer of the Philippine

technique of cooking of raw

meat with vinegar to other

cultures such as Peru. We are

talking about ceviche, which

spread throughout the Latin

America from the Philippines.

Terefore, if you removed the

Philippines from the picture

300 years ago, the global

economy would be nothing like

it is today.”

“If you want to learn from top

chefs, you don’t have to go to

Spain, as some of their 3-star

Michelin chefs are coming

here,” said Chief Operating

Officer Domingo Ramon C.

Enerio III from the ourism

Promotions Board (PB),

DO’s marketing arm.

Te International Gastronomy

Congress brings the Spanish

dining scene somewhere

closer, and sets Manila as a

 venue of choice for discussions

between highly regarded chefs

and food enthusiasts, while

putting Filipino techniques and

ingredients at the center of the

conversation.

Tis year will have a wider

lineup of chef stars, not just

from Spain. A few big names

are Yoshiro Narisawa, the

3-Michelin-starred Joan

Roca (of Celler de Can Roca,

No. 1 in the World’s 50

Best Restaurants for 2015),

2-michelin-starred Dani Garcia,

and the Philippines’ very own

Michael Aspiras. For those who

can’t make it to the congress,

there’s the month-long Flavors

of the Philippines Festival 

involving mall shows, film

showing, gourmet markets,

and cook-off. Enerio advised to

look out for the program logo

on restaurant and store doors,

and find out the special menu

they have been cooking—food

that are also featured at the

congress. Te roving exhibition

will make a return in apas:

Spanish Design for Food at

the Metropolitan Museum of

Manila starting March 31. Chefs

like Dani Garcia (Spain) and

Chele Gonzalez (Philippines)

will be part of Dinner with the

Stars, to be held in some of the

leading hotels and restaurants

in Makati and Manila. If these

aren’t enough, the Philippines is

also holding the World Street

Food Congress at Bonifacio

Global City from April 20 to 24.

 For updates, visit 

madridfusionmanila.com.

Reimagined

food at the

forefront

during the

2015 congress.

Te Culinary Connection 

On its second year, Madrid Fusion

 Manila celebrates the centuries-old

exchange of spices, tastes, and culture

since the sailing of the Manila Galleons.

 By JOANNE VILLANUEVA

 

35 WWW.PHILIPPINEAIRLINES.COM

When: April 7 to 9, 2016

Where: SMX ConventionCenter, Pasay City

Theme (2016): The ManilaGalleon: East Meets West

1. The Trade Exhibit opened with a sharing of Cebu’s lechon (roasted suckling pig) 2. ISO Certification

confirms TPB’s excellence 3 & 4. Margarita Forés and Chele Gonzalez are among chefs that have reached a

rock-star-like following 5. With President Aquino at the Malacañang Palace 6. TPB’s Chief Operating Officer

Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III, all smiles 7. Eastgate Team members Anika Ventura, Kim de Leon, and Simeon

Ventura with Nedalin Miranda of TPB (third from left) at the Anvil 2015 Awards8. Mario Hardy (CEO, Pacific

Asia Travel Association/PATA), Gerard Panga (Tourism Attaché, Market Development Group), and Maria

Helena de Senna Fernandes (Macau Government Tourist Office) at the 2015 PATA Awards.

MADRID

FUSION MANILA

 4 5

6

3

1

2

 7 8

TPB MAKES IT MORE

FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES

A lot goes into consideration

when picking the destination

for your next trip, but there’s

no denying that travel

packages and deals make

 you move some places to the

top of your list. And if great

deals become accessible to

a country as diverse and

beautiful as the Philippines,

 you wouldn’t have to decide

for long. Since 2015, or Visit

the Philippines Year , travelers’

boarding passes have been

their tickets to discounts

and freebies. PB’s Visit the

 Philippines Year  campaign

is “an offshoot of the It’s

 More Fun in the Philippines 

campaign, but highlights more

on the non-traditional events

that will take place all over

the country all year round,”

explained Enerio.

 

Te fun continues as 2016 is

Visit the Philippines Again

Year . April may be the

month for the foodies, but

PB has events for other

interests as well.

Te 35th ASEAN ourism

Forum held in Manila last

January kept the ball rolling,

and in March, the very first

Philippine-hosted Routes

Asia, a premiere event for

the aviation industry. And in

September, there’s the annual

Philippine ravel Exchange, a

B2B meeting ground for tour

operators, as well as a diving

and resort travel show.

None of the hard work put

to make the Philippines a fun

destination goes unnoticed.

Certification International

Philippines, Inc. (CIP)

awarded them their ISO

9001:2008 Certification on

January 21, and a Certificate of

Registration on February 16.

For sponsoring the publication

of the Best of the Best:

 Philippines book of Eastgate

Publishing Corporation, the

book won a PAA Award for

ravel Journalism and a Gold

Anvil Award for being the

“Best PR ool.” As PB delves

into all forms of media, the

Philippines is climbing up

everyone’s lists. n