The Importance Of Street Food

If there is one thing we, Filipinos, can agree on – We love food. We love food so much that we take in more than 3 meals a day. Other than the usual breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we add merienda between each meal. We could say that we actually have that fat kid inside of us craving for all kinds of food. The saying, “You are what you eat”, actually goes a long way than just portraying who you are. It actually reaches the question of what your culture is. Like culture, what we eat is unique to our own location. This is mainly because what we eat is influenced by what is available and by what we are accustomed to. And from this premise, we could infer that food gives off a simple reflection of the characteristics of the locals. In the Philippines, each culture has their specialty food. The Bicolanos, for example, are best remembered for their hot and spicy Bicol express. Another one worth noting is the Cebuanos …show more content…
Despite our love for food, street food has a love-hate relationship with us. From the icky “betamax” to the infamous “balut”, the enjoyment and lack thereof varies from one individual to another. But through this love-hate relationship, Philippine street food mirrors a lot about the different Filipino characteristics of being hospitable, frugal, resourceful, and hardworking, through how it’s prepared, cooked, and eaten.
In Bonifacio Global City’s Mercato, where a market of street food is held during the weekends, we could see different tourists looking to try out some of the street food for the first time. Some may find it unappetizing and gross, thus the second thoughts of munching street food. After a small nibble or two, a tourist would either take another bite or spit it out and wonder who would eat this. But with a Filipino’s warm welcome to the tourists, who can’t say no to another