ANTIQUE Rep. Loren Legarda filed a measure that will preserve and develop Philippine Culinary Heritage.

House Bill 10551 or the proposed Philippine Culinary Heritage Act measure mandates the creation of the Committee on Philippine Gastronomy and Culinary Heritage under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Under the bill, concerned agencies such as the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Tourism shall conduct food heritage mapping to promote, preserve and raise awareness among Filipinos of the importance of culinary heritage and tradition preservation.

Once the bill is enacted into law, P10 million will be appropriated for the initial implementation of the act.

Legarda said that the country’s culture is the story of the nation, a narrative that binds Filipinos with a common story of tradition, struggles and triumphs.

She explained that her bill seeks to ensure and preserve the traditions that have been passed on by our ancestors.