CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art showcases Filipino food artistry in celebration of Filipino Food Month this April

 With its diverse and rich flavors rooted in indigenous cultures and influences, Filipino cuisine reflects the country’s history and abundant culture. From iconic savory dishes to regional fares,

Filipino food offers not only to satiate hunger but also tells the story of local ingredients and family traditions.

Beyond its taste, the preparation and presentation of every dish highlights the overall appeal of Filipino cuisine and adds visual depth and storytelling. It shows that Filipinos do not just cook food but they do it to show care and express their hospitality.

Filipino food goes far beyond simple nourishment. It reflects a deep sense of creativity and artistry that appears at every stage of the culinary experience: from preparation to plating.

Cooking involves skillful techniques and balanced flavors, often adapted with resourcefulness. Serving styles, like communal meals on banana leaves, emphasize culture and connection. The presentation is vibrant and carefully arranged, making dishes visually appealing as well as delicious.

In celebration of Filipino Food Month this April, the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (CCP EPA) showcases and promotes the rich Philippine cuisine while also emphasizing how they shape our national and cultural identity and open conversations on its sustainability and conservation.

Do you know your Filipino dishes and local ingredients, as well as their cooking processes and more? Learn more about them through CCP EPA’s comprehensive article on Food Art.

FRUITS AND RELISHES

Relishes and desserts are mostly the preferred mediums for food art since they can be prepared in advance, offering more time for creating designs. A good example is achara, it’s a pickle relish made of grated unripe papaya and other vegetables like cucumber and bell pepper. Its textures and colors are ideal for carving various shapes, figures, and even small scenes, which are then arranged in glass jars to create decorative displays. The natural colors of the ingredients provide many ways for them to express their artistry through arranging these relishes.

Pan de San Nicolas (Photo courtesy of Nicanor G. Tiongson)

Mayumo, the Pampango word for sweet, is a food art from San Miguel de Mayumo in Bulacan.

They preserve different kinds of fruits, mainly suha (pomelo), dayap (lime), kundol (wax gourd), etc. They are carved with decorative patterns before being put in jars for display.

In some provinces, like Laguna, creativity is shown differently, such as stuffing limes with coconut jelly, adding both visual and textural contrast to the dessert.

KAKANIN

The arrangements and packaging of kakanin is another medium for food art. One of the most popular ways of arranging kakanin is by serving it in bilao (flat baskets) which highlights its patterns and colorful visuals. Puto and kutsinta, for instance, are steamed in bamboo tubes or molds, made in different sizes and colors, and arranged in bilao when served.

Other kakanin like suman, ibus, tupig, tamales, and puso also highlight the creativity of wrapping using materials such as coconut fronds, banana leaves, and nipa leaves. For example, suman sa ibus is mostly wrapped in pale young coconut fronds, while in Obando, Bulacan, darker fronds are woven into small triangular baskets.

Tupig from Ilocos is both decorative and practical, commonly enjoyed during holidays or cockpits. In Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, they have puso also known as “hanging rice” encased in woven coconut leaves shaped into portable pouches, with various regional names like balisungsong, lambay, patupat, and tamu.

PASTILLAS

The famous pastillas de leche, sweets made from carabao milk and sugar from San Miguel de Mayumo, are also known for its pabalat (wrappings), made of multicolored thin paper, called papel de japon. They are cut into stars, leaves, flowers, palm leaves and branches, letters and other designs.

Pabalat or pastillas wrappers of papel de japon, Nicanor G. Tiongson Collection

Pabalat artist Luz Mendoza Ocampo uses patterns she personally designed, such as the so-called Maria Clara motif, tinikling, pounding rice grains, nipa hut, birds, and various flowers. She traces the pattern into layers of papel de hapon using a pencil, and then cuts the paper using a cuticle scissor.

Other pabalat artists prefer the freestyle method without using any patterns or drawings by cutting a folded paper freehand. The pabalat tradition in Bulacan is usually practiced by women. Well-known pabalat artists are Amparo Pengson, Rosa David, Nene Pineda, Luz Reyes, and Teresita Ramos.

COOKIES AND BREADS

In Pampanga, during feast day of San Nicolas, cookies designed in his iconography are sold outside churches. Meanwhile, in Bago City, Negros Occidental, alfajor cookies are also popular amongst migrant families from Panay who settled there in the 1920s. The cookies are made of rice flour and sugar then pressed into wooden molds showcasing various designs including symbols like USAFFE and Boy Scouts insignias, flowers, etc. They are typically cooked by being sun-dried.

Animal-shaped bread from Domalaon Bakery, Antipolo City (Photo by Kiko del Rosario)

Breads also serve as an ideal medium for creative food art. In Silay, Negros Occidental, empanadas are meticulously fluted in a milles feuilles style, while in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, panaras are crafted with pinched edges and distinctive patterns. The shaping of tortas reales and castillos, sweets influenced by Spanish heritage, continues alongside more modern cake decorations inspired by American traditions. In Antipolo, Rizal, one bakery is popular for making bread into playful shapes, including lobsters, pigs, turtles, and crocodiles, showcasing a unique form of food artistry.

Shopee Philippines and PNP Eastern Police District Sign MOU to Empower Police Families Through E-Commerce

 

Shopee Philippines and the Philippine National Police-Eastern Police District (PNP-EPD) have formalized a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at helping the families of police personnel build sustainable livelihoods through e-commerce. The collaboration brings Shopee’s flagship digital skills training initiative, the Tatak Pinoy program, directly to PNP, equipping police families with the tools and knowledge to start and grow online businesses.

The MOU reflects a shared commitment to the financial well-being of the men and women who serve on the front lines of public safety. Under this initiative, which PNP-EPD has named “Love at First Click: Negosyong Online para sa Pamilyang Pulis,” police families will be equipped with the digital skills and practical knowledge they need to establish and grow their online businesses through e-commerce.

"We have always believed that e-commerce can be a powerful equalizer and that belief extends beyond the marketplace," said Jack Ng, Head of Commercial, Shopee Philippines. Through this partnership with PNP Eastern Police District, we want to give the families of our police personnel the same opportunities we are bringing to entrepreneurs across the country: real, practical skills that can help them build businesses and improve their quality of life."

The Shopee Tatak Pinoy MSME Roadshow, which has trained over 700 MSME sellers across 10 cities since 2025, will serve as the foundation of the collaboration. Police families will have access to hands-on training in online store setup, digital marketing, order fulfillment, and customer engagement. This is the same curriculum that has helped entrepreneurs transition from informal businesses to thriving online stores.

"Our partnership with Shopee reflects our belief that supporting our personnel goes beyond the badge. The PNP Eastern Police District has always been committed not only to the safety of our communities, but to the well-being of the men and women who protect them—and the families who stand behind them," said PNP-EPD Police Brigadier General Aden Lagradante. “When we give our personnel's families access to real livelihood opportunities, we are investing in their future and strengthening the foundation of our organization from within."

The partnership underscores Shopee's broader mission to build an inclusive digital economy, one that reaches not just traditional entrepreneurs but communities that stand to benefit most from access to e- commerce tools and training. As the Tatak Pinoy Roadshow continues its nationwide expansion, Shopee remains committed to finding new ways to bring digital opportunities to more Filipinos.

Araneta City nurtures stray cat welfare through “CoMEOWnity”

 

Araneta City deepens its commitment to kindness and shared responsibility through launching of “CoMEOWnity”, a citywide initiative aimed to protect, care, and uplift the lives of stray cats. Introduced under Araneta City’s Pet Pals program, the campaign recognizes stray cats not as passersby, but as cherished City-zens of the City of Firsts’ vibrant community.

“CoMEOWnity brings together our valued partners, patrons, cat lovers, and everyone who shares a deep compassion for stray cats,” said Marjorie Go, VP for Marketing of Araneta City, Inc. “Through this initiative, we hope to create a city where every stray cat feels safe, respected, and cared for.”

Guided by its vision of creating an inclusive environment, “CoMEOWnity” focuses on everyday acts of care—regular feeding, safe shelter, medical attention, and thoughtfully designed adoption drives—ensuring that stray cats are treated with dignity and compassion.

Done in partnership with Pet Kingdom, CARA Welfare Philippines, City Cats Cubao, and Cats of Araneta City, the program reflects a shared effort to make animal welfare a fundamental part of city living. “CoMEOWnity” is also dedicated to the memory of the late Filipina chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés, whose lifelong affection for cats—especially strays—continues to inspire acts of kindness.

Among the program’s key initiatives is a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) effort in partnership with CARA Welfare Philippines, ensuring humane and sustainable management of the stray cat population. Rescued cats are housed at the Araneta City cattery, where they receive regular meals, veterinary care, and ongoing attention, supported by sponsored cat food and essential supplies.

Beyond rescue, “CoMEOWnity” opens doors to second chances through its adoption drives, helping match stray cats with loving individuals and families. During its first-ever cat adoption event held on April 12 at Ali Mall, all rescued and neutered cats successfully found new homes, proving how community involvement can transform lives.

Through this initiative, the City of Firsts continues to build an inclusive space that safeguards the health and well-being of stray cats. It also actively engages tenants, employees, residents, and partner organizations in shaping a city that is not only a destination for culture and entertainment, but also a model of humane urban living.

“Through programs like CoMEOWnity, we are in the high hopes that it will encourage greater awareness and shared responsibility toward stray cats,” said Marjorie Go. “Compassion and empathy are at the heart of who we are—and through them, we affirm our responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves.”

For more information about Araneta City’s “CoMEOWnity,” visit its official Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/comeownity.

2026 National Food Fair Generates ₱125M in Sales, Expands Market Opportunities for MSMEs

 

NFF Special Setting

The 2026 DTI Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair (NFF) recorded a total of ₱125.6-million in sales, reaffirming its role as a premier platform for strengthening market access and commercial linkages for Filipino food micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Held from April 8 to 12, 2026, at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall, the five-day event gathered over 300 exhibitors from across the country. It provided a strategic venue for MSMEs to connect with institutional buyers, retailers, and consumers in a highly targeted, business-driven environment.

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque underscored that the fair forms part of the government’s broader whole-of-government approach under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda, ensuring that MSMEs are not only supported but equipped to scale sustainably. She emphasized the importance of sustained market access and long-term business partnerships.

DTI Sec. Cristina A. Roque (extreme right) leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the official opening of the 2026 DTI-Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair. Joining her is her Assistant Sec. Nylah Rizza Bautista of the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group and Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. 

In her keynote message, DTI Secretary Roque reassured Filipino MSMEs, saying, “Beyond the immediate solutions that we offer, our goal is long-term growth. We want your businesses to be efficient and innovative so that you do not just survive uncertainty, you thrive in it.”

Complementing this, DTI Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista highlighted the fair’s thematic focus, stating, “This year, we highlight key drivers shaping a stronger food sector—coconut-based products, Halal-certified goods, and the creativity of former OFWs turned entrepreneurs.”

Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the critical link between agriculture and enterprise. He noted that strengthening support for farmers and food producers, coupled with improved market access, is essential to building a more competitive and resilient food industry.

Responding to evolving global trends, the 2026 NFF also spotlighted the expanding halal market as a key growth opportunity for Filipino MSMEs. With rising international demand for halal-certified products, the fair emphasized the importance of certification, standards compliance, and continuous product development in unlocking new export markets.

The event further featured emerging entrepreneurs, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have transitioned into MSME ownership, offering products shaped by both global exposure and local innovation.

Through initiatives such as the Business Connect Lounge, the NFF strengthened buyer engagement and facilitated long-term partnerships between MSMEs and institutional buyers, extending business opportunities beyond the duration of the fair.

As part of the government’s broader market access strategy, the National Food Fair continues to evolve as a dynamic platform that prepares, positions, and connects Filipino enterprises for growth in both domestic and international markets.

With its strong sales performance and expanded market linkages, the 2026 NFF reflects the resilience, creativity, and growing competitiveness of Filipino food entrepreneurs.

Strawberry, Biscoff, and Cheese in new Mang Inasal Halo-Halo treat

Looking for something new and refreshing this summer? Try the new Mang Inasal Strawberry Cheesecake Halo-Halo!

This berry-creamy treat is made with Mang Inasal’s extra creamy milk, strawberry syrup with strawberry bits, strawberries and cream ice cream, and cheesecake cubes, finished with grated cheese and Biscoff cookie crumbs. Like the new and improved Mang Inasl Extra Creamy Halo-Halo, the Strawberry Cheesecake Halo- Halo also has milk dusting for that longer lasting creaminess that customers have come to expect from this treat.

“Taken as a dessert or snack, the new Mang Inasal Strawberry Cheesecake Halo- Halo is yet another effort of the brand to offer new and refreshing treats to its customers. Please try it now and let us know what you find refreshing and delightful in this limited time offer,” said Mang Inasal president Mike V. Castro.

Enjoy the Mang Inasal Strawberry Cheesecake Halo-Halo via dine in, takeout, drive thru, and delivery

The Strawberry Cheesecake Halo-Halo is part of Mang Inasal’s Limited Time Offer lineup, bringing new and on-trend flavors that give customers more reasons to enjoy and elevate their eating experience. Available for dine-in, takeout, and delivery nationwide from April 15 to June 15, 2026, prices start at P90 for the small (12 oz) and P110 for the regular (16 oz).

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