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| Leading the Pork Degustation Feast at the Versailles Tent of Novotel Manila Araneta City, L-R: Erwin Doña III (Cluster Director, Marketing & Communications, Novotel Manila Araneta City & ibis Styles Manila Araneta City), Rhodel Sazon (Marketing Services Manager, Araneta City Inc.), Chester Warren Yeo Tan (Chairman, National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc.), Alfred Ng (Vice Chairman, National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc.), Dan Javellana (Chairman Emeritus, National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc.), Ms. Maria Teresa A. Tirona (External Relations & Protocol Officer, Office of the City Mayor, Quezon City Government), Madel Cervantes (Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Araneta City Inc.) (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/National Federation Of Hog Farmers Inc.) |
Araneta City proudly hosts the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (Natfed)‘s Hog Festival 2025, officially opened last May 15, 2025 with a press conference held at World Kitchens in Gateway Mall 2. This event launches a celebration that champions Filipino culinary excellence, promotes food sustainability, and supports local hog farmers. Building on the success of its inaugural run last year — which saw the Philippines clinch a Guinness World Record for the Most Number of Pork Dishes on Display (with 313 dishes) — Hog Festival 2025 returns at the City of Firsts with even greater ambition and purpose. This year’s theme, “Sarap ng Pinoy Pork… mula nguso hanggang buntot!”, underscores the culinary value of the entire hog and reinforces the importance of promoting zero-waste cooking and food self-sufficiency.
The press conference serves as a prelude to the main festival on May 31, 2025 which will unfold across two venues in Araneta City. At Gateway Mall 2, an exciting culinary cook-off exhibition will feature a playful yet skillful showdown between local “queens” and some of the country’s most renowned chefs. Each team will present creative dishes using different parts of the pig — from snout to tail — demonstrating how pork can be both resourcefully and deliciously used. At the Versailles Tent of Novotel Manila Araneta City, a Pork Degustation Feast will showcase signature creations by culinary students, restaurant owners, and top Filipino chefs. Renowned international chefs of World Kitchens at Gateway Mall 2 will also be taking part in the event including Chef Jessie Sincioco with her signature Filipino dishes, Chef Steve Ma showcasing Hong Kong flavors, and Chef Gale Sun presenting Spanish cuisine. Guests can look forward to indulging in specially curated tastings from their acclaimed kitchens during the event. This feast aims to celebrate pork as a sustainable protein source while offering a gastronomic journey through regional and traditional flavors. Guests from the Department of Tourism (DOT), culinary institutions, and the media are invited to explore the rich diversity of Filipino pork cuisine — with an eye toward securing the Philippines a place on the prestigious Michelin Guide culinary map.
“For us in the City of Firsts, the Hog Festival is both a celebration and a movement. In hosting this festival for two years in a row, we aim to help increase public appreciation for fresh, local Pinoy pork, strengthen farm-to-fork linkages, and advocate for stronger support for our backyard farmers, especially in the face of challenges like ASF and the growing dependency on imported pork,” said Araneta City Vice President for Marketing Marjorie Go. In 2024, the Philippines imported nearly 800 million kilograms of pork, a figure that Natfed hopes to reduce by encouraging local consumption and supporting farmers in restarting and scaling their operations. Natfed’s vision aligns with broader food security goals, recognizing that true sustainability lies in local production and community support. Members of the press, industry stakeholders, government agencies, farmers, and food lovers are all invited to join the celebration and help reignite the nation’s love for Pinoy pork. Let’s eat local, support local, and love local — mula nguso hanggang buntot!
