Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco says 17 percent of tourist spending goes to food, highlighting how Filipino cuisine attracts visitors while supporting local communities, including farmers, fisherfolk, and small and medium enterprises that supply restaurants. Eighteen Cebu-based restaurants recognized by the Michelin Guide received their plaques on Dec. 13, 2025 Eleven were awarded at the Pig & Palm in MSY Tower, Cebu Business Park. Frasco said economic impacts were reported after the announcement of the recognition, with some Cebu establishments seeing booking increase of up to 90 percent and revenue growth of up to 80 percent, while restaurants in Manila experienced up to 100 percent growth in sales and reservations.
VIDEO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES
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00:00Well, the distribution of the Michelin guide plaques today is a wonderful affirmation of the work that the Cebuanos have been doing
00:09to put forth Filipino culinary excellence to the world.
00:14And so we are very happy to be able to contribute to this work by giving them the evidence of their hard work, their sacrifice, their service to our communities.
00:27We must remember that these restaurants, eateries, carinderias that have been honored are benefiting our communities as well.
00:36Gikans, ato ang mga farmers, atong fisher folk, all of our local suppliers, our small and medium enterprises that supply these restaurants are benefiting as well.
00:46And in addition to that, of course, we're very grateful because the culinary excellence that exists here in Cebu
00:52makes for an added diversified product for tourism, po, na maka-attract sa ato ang mga international and domestic visitors.
01:02What were the qualities that Michelin look into on these restaurants?
01:07Yes. Well, my understanding is that the Michelin guide has a specific set of dimensions, five pillars as they call it,
01:16that they use to judge whether or not an establishment will be included in the guide.
01:22But this is a completely independent audit and survey that they have conducted.
01:27The role of the Department of Tourism was to extend its hand and as well as to invite Michelin to consider the Philippines.
01:38And we're very glad that Michelin has affirmed what we all already know, and that is that Filipino food is really deserving of global attention.
01:49CEC, you mentioned in your speech earlier regarding food as driver for tourism.
01:54Can you expand a bit on that, CEC?
01:56Gano'n po magiging impact nito para makatulong po sa tourism sa Philippines?
02:00Well, first of all, in a visitor survey that we have conducted among tourists coming into and going around the Philippines,
02:0917% of their spending accounts for food.
02:13And therefore, we see that food is a driver to bring in tourists and it is a stimulant to the economy because it helps our local communities.
02:26And what we anticipate will happen is that with this attention, global attention being given to our local culinary establishments,
02:37that more tourists who have not perhaps considered coming to the Philippines but know the institutional reputation of Michelin will come to the country for that very reason.
02:49Please note also that subsequent to the announcement of Michelin on the 108 establishments that qualified for the guide,
02:59we did do a post-announcement survey among the establishments.
03:05And it is reported by them that they have had increased bookings of, in the case of Cebu, up to 90%, increased revenues of up to 80%.
03:17In Manila, they have reported 100% increases in sales as well as bookings.
03:25So we're hopeful that these numbers can continue to grow and that business can be sustained.
03:32Secretary, this is the maiden edition of Michelin awarding. Will this be an annual thing or what will be the future plans?
03:38We are hopeful that the presence of Michelin can be institutionalized in the Philippines because this is one of the goals of the Marcos administration.
03:51And that is to ensure that gastronomy tourism continues to be a pillar of our national tourism development.
03:58So on our end, in the Department of Tourism, we're really going to continue to work as hard as we can to make sure that the presence of Michelin is sustained.
04:08Of course, this is not by any means the work of government alone.
04:14This is very much driven by the private sector.
04:16So we're also very grateful to the chefs, the cooks, the owners of these eateries, carinderias, and restaurants for really continuing to invest, continuing to expand,
04:30and also making sure that the quality of their offerings are to a standard na maoy balik-balikon sa ato ang mga turista.
04:37So, we're going to be able to come to the next couple of years after this.
04:40I believe, we're going to be able to visit the carinderia rin or other eateries that have received recognition from Michelin.
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