By CESAR JOLITO III
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has called for a congressional inquiry into how the growing Slow Food Movement in Negros Occidental can be harnessed to advance sustainable development and inclusive economic growth across the Visayas.
Under House Resolution No. 462, Benitez asked the House Committee on Visayas Development to examine the expanding ecosystem of farmers, producers, markets, and advocates under the Slow Food Network, which he said is quietly becoming a transformative force in local agriculture and food culture.
Benitez said the movement — a global, grassroots campaign promoting “good, clean and fair food” — is redefining how communities value local ingredients, heritage crops, ethical farming, and biodiversity conservation.
He noted that on Negros Island, the advocacy has translated into concrete initiatives such as the Negros Island Slow Food Earth Market, which uplifts small-scale producers and highlights culturally rooted and sustainably produced local food.
Bacolod City’s growing reputation as a regional Slow Food center further strengthens this push, Benitez added, citing the city’s successful hosting of Terra Madre Asia and Pacific 2025, one of the movement’s largest international gatherings.
According to Benitez, the inquiry aims to assess how the Slow Food model can support national goals on food security, environmental protection and rural development — particularly at a time when industrial agriculture, climate impacts and market inequalities challenge local food systems.
“Understanding how the movement operates in Negros Occidental may offer valuable insights for advancing food security, environmental sustainability, and inclusive economic development across the Visayas,” Benitez said.
The resolution directs the Committee on Visayas Development to evaluate the potential of the movement, its adaptability to other local contexts, and the possible institutional support that national and local governments may extend to further its initiatives./CJ, WDJ