As part of this year’s Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, the Cotabato City Tourism Council, chaired by Bai Sandra Sema, in partnership with the Bangsamoro Government, opened on Dec. 15, the Kuman Tanu Food Fair to showcase the unique delicacies of the Bangsamoro. (Benyamen Cabuntalan/BIO)
COTABATO CITY — In a collaborative effort between the Bangsamoro Government and the City Government of Cotabato, the Kuman Tanu Food Fair was launched to empower local food entrepreneurs and showcase the rich array of Bangsamoro delicacies.
Aligned with this year’s Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, the event is taking place from Dec. 15-21 at the Dampa Express, running daily from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Following the success of last year’s Inaul Fashion Show, which opened avenues for promoting the Inaul handwoven fabric, this year’s festivities focused on the promotion of Bangsamoro cuisine with the hope of achieving the same level of success.
“Kasi si Inaul, nagkaroon na ng sariling buhay. Nadala na natin sa Manila at international events. Even our renowned couturiers like Renee Salud and Albert Andrada, and many others, and even our Miss Universe have worn our Inaul,” said Bai Sandra Sema, the president and executive chairman of Cotabato City Tourism Council, Inc., during the launching of the Kuman Tanu Food Fair on December 15.
[Our inaul textile has gained recognition. We brought it to Manila and international events.]
Acknowledging the city’s love for food and the importance of promoting local products, Sema added, “Ang mga tao sa city ay mahilig kumain. Mahilig tayo mag-usap over food. Dahil dito, tiningnan ng Cotabato City Government at MTIT [Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism] the need to further promote our sariling atin [local food products].”
[The people in the city love to eat. We enjoy conversations over food. Because of this, the Cotabato City Government and MTIT saw the need to further promote our locally-made food products.]
Sema further revealed plans to request BARMM and Department of Science and Technology to establish a multipurpose building aimed at applying for Food and Drug Administration certification and facilitating the entry of these local products into Manila and international markets.
Along with the ongoing food fair, activities such as showcasing traditional cooking methods of Maguindanaon delicacies, coffee brewing demonstrations, and nightly entertainment are also taking place.
Sinsuan Guerra Jr., the owner of Cotabato Pasalubong Center, highlighted the positive impact of such activities on local businesses, stating, “Nakakatulong po yung mga ganitong food fair kasi nag-iinvite po tayo ng iba’t ibang agency para bumili sa ating produkto. Ito ang mga delicacies na ipinagmamalaki natin dito sa Bangsamoro. Puwede natin itong ipagmalaki sa ibang lugar o sa mga turista na pumupunta dito sa Cotabato.”
[Food fairs like this are a big help to businesses like ours because we invite different agencies to buy our products. We also take pride in our local delicacies because we can showcase these foods to different places, especially to the tourists who visit us here in Cotabato.] (Norjana Malawi/BIO)
