Iloilo City is Lunsod Lunsad Awardee anew, gets P2-M grant

For championing creativity and innovation, Iloilo City is once again chosen as one of the awardees for Lunsod Lunsad Awards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The award was received by Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) head Velma Jane Lao in a ceremony held in Pasay City on Aug. 6.

Being an awardee, Iloilo City gets a P2-million grant and technical support from the DTI to implement its proposed projects that highlight its creative potential.

The city’s proposed project entitled “The Iloilo City Lunsod Lunsad Creative Gastronomy Mapping, Strategy Development and Showcase,” is seen to strengthen Iloilo City as the Creative City of Gastronomy by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Among the initiatives include creating an opportunity, enabling a channel, promoting innovation, and providing a platform for gastronomy stakeholders to upscale, showcase their offerings, and collaborate on sustainable practices.

“We will have a comprehensive mapping of the gastronomic landscape of Iloilo City. We will profile and map out the culinary assets, practices, and heritage,” said Lao.

The project includes the production of Ilonggo Food Crawl Guide, a curated list of recommended dining destinations, culinary experiences, and must-try dishes in Iloilo City.

Also, with the development of Ilonggo Food Circuits, a Familiarization Tour will be organized involving key stakeholders to experience the delectable journey through the rich gastronomy landscape of the metro.

The city will also launch an official digital platform, a website specifically, to showcase its rich culinary heritage and will conduct a “Pagtililipon,” a gathering that highlights and celebrates the culinary experience.

The “Pagtililipon” will have two main events – the presentation of the creative city landscape of Iloilo City and the strategic framework, and Food Show, to engage stakeholders, promote innovation and collaboration and foster sustainable growth within the gastronomy sector.
Aside from Iloilo City, nine more cities from Western Visayas are also awardees.

The 2024 Lunsod Lunsad, anchored on the theme, “A Call for Creative Proposals towards Building Creative Cities,” is focused on supporting and empowering local creative talents, promoting economic sustainability, and developing the cultural and creative landscapes in the country’s cities.

In a news release, the DTI anticipates that the successful implementation of these projects will significantly contribute to the growth of creative industries in Western Visayas and the Philippines as a whole. (Iloilo City PIO)