Negros Island recently inaugurated the country’s first Slow Food Earth Market in Silay City, becoming the 90th worldwide that aims to give people access to local supply chain products in honor of the environment and workers’ rights.
The Negros Island Slow Food Earth Market is located along the highway in Silay City, Negros Occidental, just across from the city’s Shell gas station.
The idea to create an Earth Market in Negros Island emerged in March 2021, when a pop-up Earth Market was held at Casa A. Gamboa. The Negros Island Earth Market was the initiative of the Slow Food Community Promoting and Preserving Traditional Food of Negros Island group.
Rep. Francisco Benitez of the third district of Negros Occidental and the local office of the Department of Agriculture visited the market and were impressed by their findings. Many farmers were delighted at being able to access the market and find new customers for their products.
Since its inception, the development process has been coordinated in collaboration with Silay City, the office of the Provincial Governor and the Provincial Tourism office the Negros Department of Agriculture and the Department of Tourism Region 6.
“Promoting and preserving our traditional food is of the utmost importance if we are to cultivate and continue Filipino culture to our future generations. We believe that the best way to do this is to talk to our main protagonists—the small farmers,” said Reena Gamboa, a spokesperson for the Slow Food Community of Negros.
“It’s through them that we can all learn what is endemic to our community, and the Earth Market will allow the community to deal straight with the farmers and to pay them the fair price they’re due. By doing so, we valorize our local food sources and appreciate its importance—not only for our physical health but also for our Filipino soul,” she said.
The Slow Food Community has been active in mapping food sources, ingredients and dishes in the third district of Negros Occidental province which covers Silay. It aims to continue its advocacy work to raise awareness about the fragile gastronomic heritage of the island and protect and sustain it. It offers farmers a platform to explain how they grow and prepare their products. Other activities, such as taste workshops, will attract people to taste the local cuisine.
Expected clients were housewives, government officials, restaurant owners, chefs and supporters, most of whom come from the neighboring towns of Bago, Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, Eb. Magalona and Victorias.
The market will feature 28 producers, who will be selling their locally produced, traditional products, including fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, eggs, dairy, honey, rice, coconut oil, vinegar and coffee directly to consumers.
Silay City is known for its well-preserved old houses and wide variety of native delicacies. It was one of the first towns founded in Negros Occidental, dating from 1760, during Spanish colonization. At the time it was recognized as one of the major cities in the north, and many people from the neighboring province of Iloilo came to settle in the town in the 1800s, transforming it into a vibrant and progressive city.
Silay City’s gastronomic delicacies are still home-made by families who continue to use recipes handed down from generation to generation. The most iconic dishes are lumpia, empanada, panara, pionono, piaya, lubid lubid and butongbutong.