BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - In celebration of National Food Month this April, the Department of Tourism – Cordillera brings back the “Mangan Taku” – Cordillera Food Fair with the theme, “Tapeuy-an”, highlighting the famous rice wines in the region.

 Set at the Rose Garden inside Burnham Park from April 21 to 24, the Cordillera Food Festival will showcase indigenous food products and cuisines from the Cordillera provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province and Baguio City.

Chef’s Challenge is  scheduled  in April 22 wherein the public can watch and witness professional chefs curate their best dish of a tapuey - infused Cordillera cuisine.

Another highlight is the Food Crawl Challenge where each of the over 20 food exhibitors will provide free tasting of their food specialties to the public.

DOT – CAR Regional Director Jovita Ganongan outlined that Mangan Taku is an institutionalized event, in partnership with the City Government of Baguio. It is part of the region’s food tourism efforts in recognition of the importance of indigenous food and cuisines in preserving the cultural traditions and heritage of a tourism destination.

“This is a much-awaited event participated by the six provinces of the Cordillera, including Baguio City, that primarily aims to promote local food. By showcasing the unique culinary traditions of the region, visitors can gain better appreciation of the cultural history and identity of the destination,” Ganongan said.

This can also help promote cultural exchange and understanding, which is an important component of sustainable tourism, she added. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)