DISTINCTLYFILIPINOFOODCONSUMPTIONPRACTICES
INTERVIEWWITHCZARINASALOMAAKPEDONU
LeadresearcherinMetroManila,
AssociateProfessorattheDepartmentofSociologyandAnthropology,
ResearchAssociate,InstituteofPhilippineCulture,
AteneodeManilaUniversity
1.
ItseemsthatSPAM,theAmericanprocessedmeat,hasbecomeastapleinFilipino
pantries.Canyouexplainthis?
ThepreparationofmealsinFilipinomiddle-andupper-classhomesisinfluencedbythe
preferenceforspeedandconvenience.Thispreferencecanbetracedbacktothe
introductionofthe1909Payne-AldrichTariffActwhichmadethecountryaninstantmarket
forAmericansurplusgoodssuchasbreakfastcereals,milk,cocoa,cheese,andsoftdrinks
duringtheAmericancolonialperiod.ThepopularityofSPAMitselfinthePhilippinesdates
backtotheendofWorldWarIIwhenitwasdistributedasC-rationsbyAmericanGIs.
Eventually,theavailabilityofsurplusgoodscreatedwhathasbeentermedbyfoodscholar
DoreenFernandezthe“SPAMculture,”whichfavoursthetasteofprocessedoverfreshfood.
Today,theSPAMculturedefineswhatmealsareeatenathome,inparticularbreakfast,
whichtypicallyconsistsofinstant,canned,packaged,andprocessedfoods.Thepopularityof
cannedfoods,fromsardinestobeefloaf,isacrossclasses.However,duetopriceandmarket
exclusivity,somecannedandprocessedgoodssuchasSPAMandpremiumcornedbeefare
viewedbythemiddleclassesasadelicacy,incontrasttoitsassociationwithfoodfor
childrenandthelessaffluentinrichercountries.
2.
Whataboutfoodinrelationtotheclimate,howdocannedgoodsfareascompared
tofreshproduceinatropicalclimate?
Cannedgoodswhichhavelongershelf-lifewereverymuchappreciatedinthetropical
climate,beforerefrigeratorsbecamestandardhouseholdappliances.Still,Iwouldlinkthe
middleclasspreferenceforcannedgoodstotheconveniencethatcannedandprocessed
foodsoffer.FormanyFilipinos,ameal,evenbreakfast,isalmostalwaysawarmmealofrice
andviands1.Beingmiddle-classinthePhilippinesisassociatedwithhavingdomestichelp.
Thepresenceofdomestichelpersmeansthathouseholdshavesomeformofhelpin
preparingwarmandfreshlycookedmealsforbreakfast,lunch,anddinner,andforcleaning
upaftermeals.However,evenwithdomestichelpavailable,researchparticipantsclaimed
theynolongerpreparehome-cookedbreakfastmealsusingfreshingredientsonadaily
basis.Foodthathasbeencookedbeforehand,usuallyduringtheweekend,iskeptinthe
refrigeratororfreezerandthawed,heated,andeatenthroughouttheweek.Cannedand
processedfoods,especiallyforbreakfast,thereforefitverywellinthecontextofFilipino
urbanliving.
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AmongFilipinos,aviand(ulam)isafooditemthatispartneredwithrice(kanin)andcouldbefish,chicken,
pork,beefandvegetables,eitherdry(friedfishforexample)orsaucy(menudo,forexample).Theexpressionis
kaninatulam,riceandviand.
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3.
CanyouexplaintheFilipinotasteforsavouryandsaltyfood?
Tasteevolvesovertime.Processedandcannedfoodsthatmighthaveoriginallybeen
promotedasconvenientandnutritiousduringtheAmericancolonialperiodhavebecome
partoffoodtraditionthroughconsumptionpracticesaswellasthroughasystemoffood
productionanddistributionthatmakesthemubiquitous.Let'slookatSPAMandthelink
betweenwhatisconsideredsarap–atasteforsaltinessandsweetness–andprocessed
foods.SPAMisablendofhamandcompressedporkshoulderwithadditivesincludingsalt,
sugar,waterandsodiumnitrate.SPAM'ssalty,porktasteandfattytexturesuitsverywell
withFilipinocookingstylesthattendtobefatty.FormanyFilipinos,sarapalsoreferstoan
addedlayeroftastewhichisbestdescribedasasavoury,broth-likeormeatytaste.This
savourytastecomesfromcertainnaturalingredientssuchasmushrooms,potatoesand
othervegetables,butalsofrommonosodiumglutamate,aflavourenhancerwhichiswidely
usedincookinginthecountryaswellasinmostpartsofAsia.Itisalsocommonlyaddedto
processedfoodssuchascannedvegetablesandmeats,drysoups,spicemixes,frozenfoods,
andmeat-andfish-basedproducts.
4.
MetroManilahasseenvarioustrendsineatingoutaroundcuisinesfromaround
theworld.WhataboutpromotingregionalcuisinesintheMetroManilarestaurantscene?
Oneofthefactorsthatpromotesregionalcuisinesinmegacitiesisinternalmigration.This
relationshipbetweenregionalcuisinesandmigrationisclearerwhenonelooksatBangalore.
Withtheexpansionoftheinformationtechnologysector,English-speakingyoung
professionalsfromotherIndianurbanareaswereattractedtoBangalore,bringingwiththem
theirregionalcuisinepreferences.ThismeansthatfoodfromacrossIndiaisavailablein
Bangalore,whichisquitedifferentfromthecaseofMetroManilawhereavarietyofforeign
foodsareavailable.AlthoughPhilippineregionalcuisinesareonlystartingtogetalarger
shareofthefoodserviceindustryincomparisonwithglobalfoodchains,theiremergenceis
likewisesupportedbyinternalmigration,whichremainsthemaindriverofpopulation
growthinMetroManila.TheshoppingmallsinMetroManila,whichareatthecentreofa
globalandspecialityfoodtrend,helppromoteinterestinregionalPhilippinecuisine.
5.
Doyouthinkthathealthyfoodisatrendthatisaffectingthemiddleclassesin
MetroManila?
Yes,andasourstudyshows,certainlifeeventsleadtochangesintastepreferences,time
management,andspendingpatterns.Formanywhogrewupintheprovinces,especiallyin
farmingorcoastalareas,movingtoMetroManilaforuniversityorworkmeanshavingaless
balancedandhealthydiet,withfreshvegetablesandfishbecominglessreadilyaccessible.
Furthermore,the“SPAMculture”iscertainlyverymuchaliveandwell.Yetconcernsabout
foodsafetyandqualityarechangingthewaysomepeoplebuyfoodinMetroManila.A
chemistexplainedthatherfamilyavoidscannedandprocessedfoodthatcontained
preservativesforhealthreasons.Marriedresearchparticipantsreportedshiftingtowhat
theydescribeashealthiereatingschedulesandfoods.Caringfortheelderlyorthesickor
gettingolderoneselfalsoinfluencesfoodpractices:aresearchparticipanttoldusthat
becauseshewasdiagnosedwitha“fattyliver,”hermotherwithdiabetes,andherfather
passedawayduetocancer,thefamilynoweatslessrice,lesspork,andlessfrieddishes.
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Manyresearchparticipantswhoequatehealthierfoodwithfruitsandvegetablesputvalue
ontheorganiclabel.Othersturntoupscaleweekendmarkets,specialtystores,andcertain
trustedbrandsfortheirfruitsandvegetables.Gradually,theenablingenvironmentfor
healthyeatingisdevelopingwiththeemergenceofsmall-scale,localmarketsandmore
vegetarianororganiccookingrestaurantsononehand,andpoliciespromotinghealthyand
organicfoodsontheother.
6.
Canyoucommentonthelinkbetweenfoodconsumption,eatingoutandnew
condominiumcomplexes?
Thecondominiumphenomenonhasbecomeahallmarkofmostfast-developingsocietiesin
theMiddleEast,theIndiansubcontinent,China,andSoutheastAsia.Therearetwo
distinguishingfeaturesofcondominiumcomplexesinMetroManila:theyattracttheupper
andmiddleclasses,andtheyaresitesthatcloselycombinehome,work,andleisure,asa
waytobypasschronictrafficprobleminthemega-city.Condominiumdesign–inparticular,
limitedspaces,inadequateprovisionforpassivecoolingandnaturalventilation–thehigh
costofelectricity,andcondominiumrulesforpreparingandforenjoyingfood,allplayarole
inredefiningfoodconsumptionpractices.Inparticular,thehomehasshiftedfromasite
wherefoodisusuallypreparedandenjoyed:newroutinesemergeasresidentsembracethe
foodconsumptionoptionsofferedbythecondominium,particularlythosewithshopping
centresandrestaurantsatthepodiumlevel,througheatingoutorfooddelivery.Cooking
skillsarealsochanging:thelackofproperventilationmeansavoidingsautéingwithgarlic,a
veryFilipinowayofpreparingfood,andshiftingtobakingorWesternfoodrecipes.
Additionalresources:
Ideasmentionedinthisinterviewarefurtherdevelopedin:
Sahakian,M.,C.Saloma,andS.Ganguly,“WhatmakesforatastymealinBangaloreand
MetroManila?Theroleofcollectiveconventionsandcommunitiesofpractice”(in
preparation).
Saloma,C.andE.Akpedonu,“Eatinginverticalneighborhoods:Foodconsumptionpractices
inMetroManilacondominiums”inSahakian,M.,Saloma,C.,&Erkman,S.(Eds.),Food
ConsumptionintheCity:PracticesandpatternsinUrbanAsiaandthePacific(inpress,2016,
RoutledgeUK).
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