PHILIPPINE GASTRONOMICAL TOURISM

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REGION VII: CENTRAL VISAYAS

I. Component Provinces
Central Visayas, formally known as Region VII, is a Philippine administrative
region located in the central part of the island of Visayas. It includes four
provinces: Bohol (Splendor Underwater and Over Hills), Cebu (Queen City of
the South), Negros Oriental (Whale and Dolphin Haven), and Siquijor (Marine
Paradise of Central Visayas), as well as three major cities. Mandaue City, Lapu-
Lapu City, and Cebu City Cebu City serves as the regional hub.

Source: https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ph-vii.html

II. Background
A. HISTORY
Central Visayan Region was legally and formally established as “Region
7” on September 24, 1972 as the country was divided into 11 regions
under Presidential Decree No. 1 of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
Then, former President Benigno Aquino III signed Executive Order No.
183 on May 29, 2015, separating the province of Negros Oriental from
Central Visayas to establish the Negros Island Region, together with the
province of Negros Occidental and its provincial capital, Bacolod.
However, on August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte disbanded the
Negros Island Region and returned Dumaguete City to Central Visayas by
 canceling Executive Order No. 183, 2015. According to Benjamin Diokno,
then Secretary of Budget and Management, Obama signed Executive
Order No. 38 in 2015, claiming a lack of funding to completely implement
the NIR.

Source: http://bubblepedia.blogspot.com/2012/10/region-7.html
B. GEOGRAPHY
Central Visayas is the Philippines' second-smallest region, having a total
land area of 14,923 square kilometers. This accounts for around 5% of the
country's land area. Negros Oriental has the biggest percentage of
regional land (36%), next is Cebu (34%), then Bohol (28%), and Siquijor
(2%).
 The Central Visayas Region is located in the heart of the Philippine
archipelago, between the large islands of Luzon and Mindanao. The
Visayan Sea borders it on the north, the Camotes Sea on the east, the
Mindanao Sea on the south, and the province of Negros Occidental on the
west. Political boundaries serve as the basis for the territories' borders.

The geological formations in the area are diverse. As a result, the soils
that developed in the region had diverse features. The clay group makes
up the majority of the soil in Central Visayas. Because this category is
fine-textured, they may retain a large quantity of water and store plant
nutrients near the surface. It denotes the fact that Central Visayas is an
agricultural region.

C. ETHNIC GROUP/S
While the Visayas region is well-known for its world-class tourism
attractions, it is the people who deserve to be acknowledged. The
Visayans are a remarkable people with a rich culture and ethnicity.
Porohanon, Sugbuanon, Bol-anon, and Eskaya are just a few of the
wonderful ethnic groups located in Central Visayas.

Cebuano or the Sugbuanon people,were also classified as the major

ethnic group in Region 7. After the Tagalogs of Luzon, Cebuanos are the
Philippines' second most populous ethnic group. Originally from the
province of Cebu, most Cebuanos are well-known in the Philippines for
their food, culture, and festive celebrations.

While, Boholanos, also known as the Bol-anon people, dwell on the island
province of Bohol and speak the Boholano dialect, which is close to the
Cebuano language. The descendants of "pintados," or "tattooed ones," a
 group of late settlers who settled in the Philippines, are recognized
throughout history.

Eksayas, who live on the island of Bohol, are a little ethnic minority that
piqued the interest of journalists in the 1980s due to its hazy past. Some
say that they were historically displaced from the Middle East, while others
argue that they were a self-made society with their own language,
religious beliefs, and culture.

Porohanons, on the other hand, are a minor Visayan ethnic group that live
on Cebu's Poro Island. They mostly speak Porohanon, with Cebuano as a
second language. The two languages share minimal similarities, but
Porohanon is closer to Hiligaynon languages.

D. ECONOMY
The region's principal products were pig, chicken and chicken eggs, palay,
and sugarcane. They made up 55.15 percent of the total.
Central Visayas agricultural production. Central Visayas has the country's
fourth highest hog production. It came in third place for the output of
sugarcane and chicken eggs.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Central Visayas

placed fourth in terms of regional GDP contribution to the national total in
2018. CV's GRDP growth rate of 7.6 percent in 2018 outpaced the
national rate of 6.2 percent. The acceleration of Services and Industry was
the driving force behind this. Services continued to account for the region's
greatest portion of the GDP, accounting for 56.0 percent in 2018. Industry
came in second with a 38.8 percent stake.

E. DEMOGRAPHICS
1. LANGUAGE/DIALECT
 The native languages/dialect of Central Visayas are Bantayanon,
Boholano, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Porohanon, and English. Cebuano is
mainly spoken among them all. The Cebuano language, often written
Cebuanos, is a member of the Western, or Indonesian, branch of the
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) language family. It was spoken by
as many as 14,600,000 people in the Philippines in the late twentieth
century (speakers are spread over eastern Negros, Cebu, Bohol,
western Leyte, the Camotes Islands, and the norther and western
coasts of Mindanao). Cebuano is closely connected to the Hiligaynon
(Ilongo) and Waray languages, alongside which it is frequently
classified as a dialect of a Visayan (Bisayan) language.

While, Boholano is a dialect of Cebuano spoken on the Visayan island

state of Bohol and a large chunk of Southern Leyte, as well as areas of
Mindanao, notably Northern Mindanao and Caraga. Although Binol-
anon started as a dialect continuum of the Cebuano language, it is
frequently incorrectly regarded as a distinct language.

2. RELIGION
Majority (92 percent) of the household population in Central Visayas
Region were Roman Catholics. This was followed by Aglipayan (two
percent) and Evangelicals (one percent). The remaining five percent
belonged to other religions that include United Church of Christ in the
Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo other religions.

In 2015, 90.3 percent of the total population in Central Visayas, or

6,679,180 people, identified as Roman Catholic. The United Church of
Christ in the Philippines, with 1.2 percent of the total population, was
the region's second largest Religious Affiliation.

3. CULTURE AND TRAITS

 The culture and traits within Region VII varies depending on the history
that they have.

Sandugo Festival, Dimiao Children's Rondalla, Loboc Children's Choir,

Loay Pipe Organ, and heritage places that provide tourists with
nostalgic emotions and fun in Bohol. Bohol is also a land filled with
heroes and history. Only two historical chapters in Bohol are the Blood
Compact between Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna and
the Longest Revolt Against Spanish Colonialism headed by Francisco
Dagohoy.

While, in Cebu, most culture and values are related to the Christian
faith. Dances might be interpretations of god worship, religious
devotion (as in Sinulog), or simply common dances performed at
various Cebu island events. Sinulog is one of the island's most well-
known cultural festivals. It is commemorated each year by religious
dances accompanied by music and drums. It is frequently performed in
groups by a variety of people.

Negros Oriental have Buglasan Festival which was revived in 2001 to

celebrate the feasts of the town patrons in each cities and
municipalities. It was considered as the “festival of festivals”.

Siquijor, on the other hand, Siquijor is well-known for its distinct

Philippine culture of merging Catholicism with traditional religious
traditions, which is an important component of its people's cultural
history and identity.
III. Cuisine
A. INGREDIENTS USED:
The fertile soil of Central Visayan region drives it’s abundance of tropical
products which are highly used by their locals in cooking their dishes and
 cuisines. Among these ingredients are rice, mangos, coconut, salt, sugar,
soy sauce, laurel leaves, garlic, onions, and vinegar. In terms of meat
products, pork meat is highly used in Region 7 which can be seen mostly
in their most famous cuisines. However, they are not limited to pork dishes
as they also use chicken frequently.
B. METHODS /STYLE/ART/TECHNIQUES OF PREPARING, COOKING,
PRESENTING AND EATING FOODS
The usual culinary methods and techniques in Central Visayas includes
boiling, sauteeing, drying, steaming, grilling, roasting, frying, and smoking.

When it comes to preparing shrimp, Region 7 frequently uses boiling. It is

also used to cook poultry. They utilize this approach to extract the flavor
from the primary component so that the soup has a rich flavor from the
meat or fish. This is one of the most prominent methods of cooking in the
region.

Pork, on the other hand, is popularly being roasted which gives highlights
to one of their famous food specifically in Cebu. This makes them the
most popular in the whole country in terms of roasting techniques and
spicing. Their roasting method makes the meat crispy on the outside yet
juicy and fully cooked inside.

Drying is also prominent in the region specifically in Cebu. In fact, two of

the famous dishes in the region underwent the process of drying. Central
Visayans often use drying not just for dish purposes but for preservation
too.

Deep frying, on the other hand, is employed to make their cuisine crispy.
They commonly deep fried the pig's organs, particularly the intestine, to
make a chicaron-like snack. The region's fried meals merge with tourists'
desires as they stroll through the islands and seashores, which is a
 beautiful view to have some picnics where these fried dishes suited the
best.

Smoking, however, is especially utilized for meat products. This method

also preserves their meat food for a long time. Since the region have the
highest trading rate in the country, it is important for them to preserve their
foods to make it last long until it reach its final destinations after trade.

C. ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITIES
In Central Visayas, the local dishes mostly have similar taste rather than
having similar flavor. Most dishes and meals are sour especially those
which are soupy. This is because Central Visayans often use vinegar to
their dishes. Some dishes which are also known in other parts of the
country is made unique in the region by putting souring fruit such as
putting them in tinolang isda.

Aside from that, it is worth noting that many of their cuisines are sweet,
particularly steamed, baked, and soaked delicacies. It is unavoidable
given the region's proximity to Negros Island, which has an abundance of
sugar cane.

D. POPULAR DISHES TO INCLUDE FOOD FESTIVALS IF ANY:

Source: https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/food-drinks/local-dishes-delicacies-visayas-
recipes/
 Lansiao
Lansiao, commonly known as Soup No. 5, is an aphrodisiac soup
produced from bull's testes. This Cebuano delicacy, inherited from
Chinese immigrants, derives its name from the Hokkien translation
of the phrase "male's genitals." Like many Filipino soups, it involves
cooking the aforementioned main ingredient in a broth and filling it
with aromatics such as tanglad (lemongrass), onions, garlic, ginger,
and more.
 Budbod or Suman

Budbod, as it is known among the Visayans, is a delicacy prepared

from sticky rice and coconut milk. Before boiling or steaming, it is
wrapped in young palm or banana leaves. Recipes vary by area,
but the most common involves coconut milk and salt. Others top it
with brown sugar, shredded coconut, or coconut jam. It is especially
popular and in demand during the Christmas season and is served
with hot chocolate and juicy mango slices. Budbud is well-known.

 Piaya
When individuals consider what pasalubong to bring home, piaya is
frequently mentioned. This favorite Negros delicacy is a flaky
unleavened bread packed with delicious muscovado sugar. It
simply takes 5 ingredients to make: cold butter, flour, ice water,
salt, and muscovado sugar. By mixing cold butter, flour, and ice
water, one may simply make a pie crust that can be used to encase
a muscovado sugar filling.
 Lechon
Lechon is a pig dish popular around the world, particularly in Spain
and her former colonial territories. The first lechon was
manufactured in Cebu in the 1920s, and the first lechonero
originated in Talisay, Cebu. They are grilled for a few hours on a
bamboo spit over charcoal, with frequent (traditionally manual)
 flipping. The pig is cooked for many hours on all sides until done.
The procedure of cooking and basting frequently results in crisp pig
skin, which is a distinguishing aspect of the meal.

Source: https://sugbo.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pungko-Pungko-Ginabot-sa-Pardo-2.jpg

 Ginabot
This Cebuano street cuisine is similar to chicharon bulaklak but
better. It is not for the faint of heart. This finger snack is sold by
pungko-pungko (sidewalk vendors) all across Cebu and is
produced by cutting up pork intestines and deep-frying them till
golden brown.
They are ideally served with a spicy vinegar sauce and a cool drink,
similar to chicharon.
 Binangkal
 Typically, the dough is produced using flour, milk, baking powder,
baking soda, sugar, sesame seeds, and oil. After combining the dry
and wet components, the dough is formed into little balls. The
dough balls are rolled in sesame seeds before being cooked on
both sides in oil over medium heat. After that, the binangkal is
drained on paper towels to absorb the oil before being served
warm, commonly with coffee or hot cocoa as an afternoon snack.
 Sutukil
Sutukil is a local pun on "Sugba" (grill), "Tula" (stew), and "Kilawin"
(to cook in vinegar). Essentially, the notion is that you get to choose
one fish and have it cooked in three distinct ways. Tourists have
become fond of this local style since it allows them to try a variety
of types all at once.
 Humba
Humba is a braised pig meal akin to adobo. Slow-cooked pork belly
in a blend of soy sauce, vinegar or pineapple juice, and aromatics
including garlic, onions, peppercorns, and bay leaves in this
sweeter and fattier regional variant.
 Chorizo De Cebu
There's something distinctive about how we Cebuano's flavor of
chorizo (or Longaniza, as those from the north name it). This
chorizo is filled inside a natural casing and has a sweet and spicy
flavor. The combination also has a larger fat level than other
recipes. Unlike Spanish chorizo, which is commonly seen in
restaurants, Cebuanos
prepare theirs, whether
cured or smoked, by pan
frying it with a little oil or
grilling it.
 Source:
https://i.etsystatic.com/21847929/r/il/8581ff/2686829706/il_794xN.2686829706_n
t5n.jpg

IV. Reporters’ Insights

According to my observation, Central Visayas’ abundance of agricultural,
maritime, and poultry products drives the cuisine of the region. Majority of its
dishes and meals involves seafoods and other fishes. This is because the region
is close to water sources such as the rivers, seas, and oceans. Moreover, it can
be observed that their cuisine is also similar to other regions such as the Lechon
and Suman. However, they make them unique by adding up more ingredients
and diversifying the technique used in cooking. Examples of this is Humba which
is similar to Adobo but different in terms of the ingredients because Humba uses
coconut milk. Another noticeable concept of Central Visayan cuisine is that the
dishes are commonly crispy, sweet, or sour. It is seen when it comes to their
pastries and delicacies. The dishes are both homogenous as they usually create
a dish out of 1 material. In connection to that, these cuisines indicates that
Central Visayan cuisines commonly uses cooking techniques that makes the
food last longer like drying, souring, and frying which occurs as a part of the
region’s enormous trading activities of local products which could be raw or
processed like the Dried Mangos. The abundance of agricultural and industrial
products in the region makes it known for having a very diverse culinary
variations. This diversity captures the taste of locals and tourists as they continue
to consume dishes of varying flavor, texture, and serving technique.
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