Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Thursday called on Bacolodnons to support the city’s hosting of the inaugural Terra Madre Asia and Pacific, the region’s largest sustainable gastronomy event, on Nov. 19-23.

“Let us support this milestone as we showcase to the world Bacolod’s heritage, diverse flavors, and strong commitment to sustainability,” the lawmaker said in a social media post.

At the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy last year, Benitez, then the city mayor, signed the memorandum of agreement with Slow Food International director general Paolo di Croce for Bacolod’s hosting of the regional event.

On Wednesday, the country’s hosting of the Terra Madre Asia and Pacific 2025 was formally launched at the North Forbes Park Pavilion in Makati City, led by Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya, Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, Slow Food Community of Negros Island president Reena Gamboa, Slow Food councilor for Southeast Asia Ramon Uy Jr., and di Croce.

The five-day event will be hosted by Slow Food International in partnership with the province of Negros Occidental, City of Bacolod, DOT, and other national government agencies.

During the launch in Makati City, Frasco said Terra Madre is the Philippines’ global opportunity to tell the Filipino story to the world, adding that “under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DOT has placed gastronomy front and forward at the heart of our national tourism strategy.”

“Bacolod and Negros Occidental, our organic capital, are a fitting stage for this gathering: a place where tradition and sustainability meet, and where the lessons of the land guide the promise of the future,” she added.

The event, themed “From Soil to Sea: A Slow Food Journey Through Tastes and Traditions,” will gather farmers, fisherfolk, chefs, artisans, indigenous peoples, youth, policymakers, and advocates from more than 20 countries, including Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Samoa, Afghanistan, the United States, and Slovakia.

The DOT will host a Slow Food Travel Pavilion, featuring immersive, community-based food experiences from various regions, including the Cordillera region, Negros Island Region, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas.

Slow Food, which began in Italy in 1989, is a global grassroots movement that champions good, clean, and fair food, safeguards biodiversity, and preserves local food cultures. (PNA)