Food tourism cooking up in Oro

• Source:https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1806915/Cagayan-De-Oro/Lifestyle/Food-tourism-cooking-up-in-Oro
• Friday, May 24, 2019

By JO ANN SABLAD

THROUGHOUT the years, food has become one of the reasons why people travel. The thought of the mouth-watering and tasty local food and beverages is one of the main motivating factors for travel.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has been scouring the country to find the taste of the Philippines and every region, its cities, its culture, has its own unique cuisine.

Showcasing a wide variety of local restaurants that offer the best of the taste in Northern Mindanao, the SM CDO Downtown Premier, in partnership with the regional office of DOT, launched an event called “Malling is More Fun in the Philippines: The Flavors of Northern Mindanao” last Friday, May 17.

Located at the Sky Park in the fifth floor of the said mall, the event features the flavors and delicacies of Northern Mindanao through the food prepared by SM CDO Downtown Premier’s tenants, namely: Bigby’s Cafe and Restaurant, Hanabel, Hungry Plate, Arturo’s, Bingsoo, Ribs & Bibs, Dear Manok, Bucket O’ Shrimps, Panagatan, among others.

Nutcracker, Hinam-is, Cacao de Davao, Goldilocks, Mercedes Bakery, Slers, and others also displayed their products as part of the event’s regional food fair.

“We are proud of the variety of offers our tenants have and as such, it is but essential to showcase them in one momentous event,” SM CDO Downtown Premier Mall Manager Evangeline Ditona said.

The DOT-Northern Mindanao director Marie Elaine Unchuan, for her part, expressed her gratitude to the SM CDO Downtown Premier for promoting culinary tourism.

“I think food is one of the reasons why people travel and that’s why the Department of Tourism has really promoted culinary tourism as one of our major highlight. Not ot mention also that our secretary (Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat) is a foodie and one of her missions is to really promote Filipino cuisine and Filipino products, especially during food festivals,” Unchuan said.

The DOT regional director also said that the tourism secretary has emphasized the local food as one of the attraction in the Philippines and will propel the inclusive growth not just of the country but also the local communities.

“It will propel inclusive growth since our local communities have the chance now to showcase their products and also their skills and talents. They will also be earning from tourism as part of their enterprise,” Unchuan said.

Apart from the regional food fair, which will run from May 17 to 25, the SM CDO Downtown Premier will also be having special dining deals in its participating tenants for the whole duration of the event and a culinary demo of Kagay-anon’s renowned dishes with Chef Ed Dychauco on May 19 at the Sky Park.

“We invite you to tell your family and your friends to visit SM CDO Downtown Premier and enjoy the many offerings of our tenants because indeed malling is more fun in the Philippines,” Ditona said.