Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has filed a resolution directing the House Committee on Visayas Development to conduct an inquiry into the Slow Food Movement in Negros Occidental and to assess its potential contribution to promoting sustainable development in the Visayas Region.
Understanding the potential of the Slow Food Movement in Negros Occidental could provide valuable insights and policy recommendations for advancing food security, environmental sustainability, and inclusive economic growth in the Visayas Region, Benitez said in House Resolution 462, a copy of which was released to the media on Friday, Dec. 5.
It is imperative for the Committee on Visayas Development to examine the merits of this movement, evaluate its applicability, and explore mechanisms by which national and local government can provide enabling support, he said.
Benitez said the Slow Food movement is a global grassroots movement that promotes good, clean, and fair food by emphasizing local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients, preserving agricultural biodiversity, supporting small-scale producers, and advocating for ethical farming practices.
The Slow Food Movement, has gained traction globally as a countermeasure to the negative impacts of fast food culture and industrial agriculture, he said.
Benitez said there is a growing Slow Food community in the Negros Island Region because of the Slow Food Negros Organization, which spearheads the Negros Island Slow Food Earth Market – a community-based platform that upholds these principles by promoting locally produced, sustainable, and culturally rooted food products.
Bacolod City is also developing into a major Slow Food hub in Asia as evidenced by its recent hosting of the Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025, he added.
The principles of the Slow Food Movement align with the policy directions of sustainable development by promoting environmentally sound practices, strengthening local economies, and preserving cultural heritage, Benitez said.*