ILOILO City — This city’s iconic La Paz Batchoy may soon gain legal and international heritage protection as the city government, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), and national agencies move to pursue a Geographical Indication (GI) registration aimed at safeguarding the authenticity and identity of the beloved Ilonggo dish.
La Paz Batchoy is a hearty noodle soup traditionally made of miki or egg noodles, pork offal such as liver and intestines, pork meat, crushed pork cracklings or chicharon, garlic, spring onions, and a rich pork or beef broth. The broth is usually simmered for hours before the noodles and toppings are assembled in a bowl and served hot.
The initiative, discussed during a consultation meeting between the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP-CIDS) – Center for West Visayan Studies (CWVS) and Mayor Raisa Treñas on May 19, seeks to formally recognize La Paz Batchoy as a culturally rooted product uniquely tied to Iloilo City.
Stakeholders are exploring mechanisms such as Certification Mark and Geographical Indication registration to protect the dish from imitation while strengthening Iloilo’s branding as a culinary tourism hub.
A GI registration protects products whose qualities, characteristics, or reputation are linked to a specific geographical origin.
Present during the meeting were project leader Sashah Dioso, research fellows Dr. Mary Rose Rebueno and Darlene Joy Calsado, and senior office assistant Aprille Danilly Guintibano of the UP-CIDS project “Namit Gid!: A Multistakeholders Collaboration for Ilonggo’s Batchoy.”
Representatives from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Iloilo Provincial Office, and various Iloilo City government offices also joined the discussions.
During the consultation, the UPV-led team presented accomplishments of the project and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts among stakeholders to preserve the authenticity of La Paz Batchoy.
Marianne Tajanlangit-Bebit of IPOPHL proposed a roadmap that includes organizing batchoy producers, documenting culinary traditions, establishing product standards, and developing a certification mark that could eventually support a formal GI registration application.
Mayor Treñas underscored the cultural significance of the dish to Ilonggos. She committed to bringing together stakeholders from the tourism, cultural heritage, and enterprise development sectors to support the GI initiative.
Treñas emphasized that La Paz Batchoy is “not just a culinary staple but an important symbol of the Ilonggo identity and heritage.”
The proposed protection initiative draws inspiration from globally recognized GI products such as Champagne, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Darjeeling Tea, as well as the Philippines’ first GI-registered product, Guimaras Mangoes.
Other Philippine GI-registered products include Aklan Piña, Alburquerque Asin Tibuok, and T’nalak Tau Sebu.
The initiative also complements Iloilo City’s continuing campaign to strengthen its status as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy.
Project proponents said safeguarding La Paz Batchoy could help preserve the dish’s authenticity while elevating Iloilo’s reputation as one of the country’s culinary heritage centers. (Rex J. Maestrecampo/PN)
