Filipino cuisine is a tapestry of flavors woven from a rich history of cultural influences and regional diversity. Each region proudly showcases local dishes that carry a vibrant story, embodying a sense of identity, nostalgia and community.
Beyond this rich culinary heritage, Filipino cuisine is also shaped by influences from trade, colonization and migration. Trade and colonization played a pivotal role, introducing new ingredients, cooking methods and culinary traditions from around the world.
From the 250-year Manila Galleon trade with Mexico to the 333-year Spanish colonization, the Philippines forged a distinctive fusion cuisine that reflects a rich cultural diversity.
This Filipino Food Month, PIA-NCR spoke with Dr. Augusto de Viana, former chairperson of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Arts and Letters History Department and current associate professor and researcher at the UST Culture, Arts and Humanities Research Center, to delve into our favorite Filipino foods and explore why our cuisine differs from others.
Are your favorite Filipino dishes truly Filipino?
- Adobo
According to Professor de Viana, the origins of adobo are debated, but the availability of its core ingredients to our ancestors before trade and colonization suggests a native origin.
“It appears to be native,” he said. “Because our ancestors had access to ingredients like chicken and pork. So adobo likely had a native name. The term ‘adobo’ comes from the Spanish ‘adobar,’ meaning ‘to marinate,’ which extended its storage life. It became popular among travelers because it was sometimes simply placed in bamboo with rice and carried by our ancestors on long journeys.”
- Sinigang
Sinigang, with its signature sourness, truly hails from the Southeast Asian region, De Viana explained, noting counterparts like Thailand’s tom yum. While the local taste evolved, the introduction of tomatoes from the Americas further enriched it.
“It simply had a local taste, which was enhanced by the arrival of other ingredients like tomatoes. Although we had souring agents like batuan, a type of fruit very sour and found in Central Visayas. Aside from that, there’s kamias, which is native to Southeast Asia, so sinigang is indeed ours,” he said.
- Paksiw
Paksiw, a dish simmered in vinegar, is a derivative of adobo and therefore considered native. It utilizes locally sourced ingredients with various proteins like pork, chicken or fish.
“So paksiw is also a derivative,” he said. “Like adobo, its ingredients come from our environment. It’s part of our native cuisine. You can use pork, chicken, fish, even deer.”
- Sisig
The creation of sisig truly showcases Filipino resilience and ingenuity. Invented by a Kapampangan during the postwar period, it ingeniously utilized discarded pig heads and innards.
“This was during the postwar period, when life was very difficult,” he explained. “So everything that could be used was utilized. All parts, let’s say of the pig, started as a side dish with drinks, until it became a main dish, and now there are many varieties.”
- Halo-Halo
Halo-halo, a beloved Filipino summer treat, also has debated origins. However, according to De Viana, based on its ingredients, particularly ice, it is believed to be a fusion.
“Because first of all, how did ice come to the Philippines? Ice was imported from America,” he said. “According to food historians I interviewed, it came all the way from New Jersey. When ice became popular, it was packed in iceboxes that could last for months to reach the Philippines. So ice originated during the Spanish era.”
“Then the Japanese came and introduced their brand of iced dessert called Kakigori,” he added. “It’s like fruit juice, like cherry, on crushed ice, sold by the Japanese. Filipinos mixed it with various ingredients like white beans, ube, and lately, they added ice cream on top.”
Filipino ingenuity
When asked what makes Filipino cuisine special, Dr. de Viana emphasized Filipino ingenuity.
“Traveling to different parts of the Philippines, I’ve seen how incredibly varied it is,” he said. “You can see the ingenuity of our countrymen; they use the resources around them and take only what is right, not in excess.”
“They don’t waste anything. If there’s a scarcity, they really maximize what they have,” he added.
Examples include Pampanga’s sisig and even the recent fusion of pizza with Filipino pinakbet.
The ingenuity and resourcefulness of Filipinos truly shine in their approach to food. It is this ability to bring together the finest local ingredients and seamlessly blend them with flavors and influences from around the world that makes Filipino cuisine exceptionally dynamic and flavorful.
This unique fusion truly results in dishes that stand out, offering a delightful and flavorful experience that highlights the Philippines’ rich culinary heritage. (JVD/PIA-NCR)
