The inaugural Terra Madre Asia and Pacific (TMAP) 2025, held at the Provincial Capitol Lagoonand Park in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, from November 19 to 23, was an “overwhelming success,” organizers announced Thursday, Nov. 27
.The first-ever edition of the largest sustainable gastronomy event in the Asia-Pacific region drew 2,500 delegates from around the world and an estimated 75,000 visitors, generating a total of P46.5 million in event-related sales, TMAP 2025 Executive Director Reena Gamboa said.
The figures are based on consolidated reports of actual sales over the five-day period.
The total sales of P46,586,200 came from major events like the Street Food Exhibition, Restaurant and Bar Takeovers, Slow Food Travel, Taste Workshops, and donations from coffee and slow drinks.
“This figure only covers event-related data,” Gamboa emphasized. “It does not include income from hotel bookings, restaurant sales, tourist arrivals, and other tourist-related computations, which are calculated separately.”
The Street Food Exhibition along North Capitol Road emerged as the highest earner, featuring 107 exhibitors and gathering 50,000 visitors.
Events inside the Capitol Lagoon and Park recorded an additional 25,000 in foot traffic.
TMAP 2025 Co-Chair and Slow Food International Councilor for Southeast Asia Ramon “ChinChin” Uy Jr., the 18th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival — held concurrently on South Capitol Road and managed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and separate from the Terra Madre event — also saw significant benefit, earning P1.4 million in total purchases from TMAP.
“Chefs, mixologists, Slow Food communities, and Cooks Alliance members sourced their local ingredients from organic farmers and fisherfolk participating in the Organic Festival,” Uy explained. “These ingredients were then used in food and drinks at the Taste Workshop, Cooking Demonstrations, Community Cook-off, Street Food Exhibition, and Slow Drinks.”
Data showing that the Organic Farmers Festival earned P1.4 million from TMAP chefs and mixologists stands in sharp contrast to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson’s assertion Wednesday that the Organic Farmers Festival only earned P185,000 from TMAP-related sales.
The synergy between the events ensured the farmers and fisherfolk sold out their produce. The remaining products, totaling P130,000, were purchased by a member of the Slow Food community on the festival’s final day.
Gamboa also said that farmers participating in organic festival were allocated free seats in the Public Talks and Conferences so they may enrich their knowledge on good, clean and fair food.
“We also donated part of the meals of the Indigenous Peoples brought in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to ensure that they had food during the event,” she added.
TMAP hosted over 2,500 delegates from 25 countries, representing the largest sustainable gastronomy gathering in the region.
“We are proud to have formed bonds with farmers, fisherfolk, food producers, and cooks within the Asia-Pacific region to ensure good, clean, and fair food for all,” Gamboa said.
“With Terra Madre, we have put Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and the Philippines in the global gastronomy map,” Uy said.
The five-day event was intensively covered by numerous media outlets, with international and Manila media dubbing TMAP “The New Best Food Festival in Asia.”
Coverage included international press such as National Geographic, BBC, Straits Times, Ming Pao, DestinAsian, Nikkei Asia, and El País (Spain); Manila media including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN, Rappler, Tatler Philippines, and Esquire PH; and digital lifestyle platforms like Spot.ph, When in Manila, Simpol.ph, Metro Food, and Robb Report. Local legacy media and digital content creators from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental were also in attendance.
Last week, Bacolod City simultaneously hosted three separate events: 18th National Organic Agriculture Congress held at SMX Convention Center, 18th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival at the South Capitol Road, and the 1st Terra Madre Asia & Pacific at the North Capitol Road and Provincial Capitol Lagoon.*