ILOILO City – A proposal to declare TikTok vlogger Euleen Castro as persona non grata for criticizing a local café’s food hit a procedural snag at the Iloilo City Council on Tuesday, temporarily halting what has become a flashpoint between free speech and culinary pride.
The council deferred action on the proposal after it was found lacking an essential endorsement slip, effectively suspending any formal deliberation. The proposal stemmed from a letter by PJ Arañador, consultant for Iloilo’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, who decried Castro’s viral video as “disrespectful” to the city’s gastronomic image.
In her video, Castro called the food at Coffeebreak Café “bland,” drawing swift and polarized reactions online. Supporters hailed her right to critique, while others accused her of carelessly disparaging a city working hard to cement its global culinary reputation.
Arañador’s May 28, 2025 letter urged the Sangguniang Panlungsod to censure Castro for what he described as “irresponsible content creation” that undermines Iloilo’s gastronomic status. The endorsement slip required for the council to act — transmitted through the Office of the City Mayor — was not attached to the official agenda, leading to the deferment.
City councilors stressed that regardless of content, all proposals must comply with procedural rules. The item may be revisited in future sessions once documentation is complete.
The controversy has since ignited public discourse on the limits of food criticism, the responsibilities of content creators, and the role of government in protecting cultural identity without infringing on freedom of expression./PN
