Cover image (L-R): Jollibee, Mikey Bustos, Jollibee Foods Corporation CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, JFC Philippines Country Head Joseph Tanbuntiong, Jollibee Philippines President JJ Alano, Jollibee Global Brand CMO Francis Flores, Chef Jordan Andino, and Chef JP Anglo
By Rosseadelle Ganayo
As an archipelago with 7,641 islands and multiple influences within the ring of fire, some would say that the Philippines is a melting pot of cultures. However, it is more similar to its favorite dessert, the Halo-Halo. It is one dish made with at least 15 flavors or desserts unified with a blanket of milk; one country made of various cultures, languages, and traditions unified with a blanket of its cuisine.
The Filipino culinary and dining culture, essentially, is about the marriage of personal and communal experience. It is sharing the joy, comfort, and love that food can provide to everyone through gatherings like handaans such as kamayan boodle fights, or a simple bucket meal with friends.
With such array of flavor and culture combinations in the unique cuisine as the center piece of our Filipino table, the Department of Tourism partnered up with Jollibee to create its new campaign “Eats. More fun in the Philippines.” The campaign aims to point foodies and travellers alike towards the Philippines for their next food destination.
Spearheading the campaign with DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is none other that the country’s best jolly chef Jollibee and their three new ambassadors of joy: award-winning chefs JP Anglo and Jordan Andino, as well as Mikey Bustos — YouTube content creator, comedian and the “Pinoy Boy.”
“More and more people are travelling not just to see the sights, but to discover new cuisine. And we believe that one of the best ways to explore the Philippines and experience the country’s culture is through our numerous and unique food offerings. This is why we decided to create a campaign that truly highlights the Philippines as a great food destination. We couldn’t have found a better partner in this fun and exciting campaign than the country’s pride and most beloved fast food chain, Jollibee,” shared Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
Proudly Pinoy, the Jollibee brand joyfully supports the DOT team on the campaign to continually spread the buzz around the world – shining the spotlight on our unique stand-out delicacies. The partnership was recently launched at the food and heritage village Islas Pinas, Double Dragon Plaza, Pasay City.
The ambiance and look of Islas Pinas perfectly complemented and enhanced the message of the campaign; having aptly named sections that doubled as a food museum of inherently Filipino accents and décor from different provinces.
The event’s main highlight is a fun and appetizing mini documentary showcasing the country’s rich cuisine and dining culture.
Featuring the three campaign ambassadors — chefs JP Anglo and Jordan Andino who champion Filipino cuisine with their restaurants, Mikey Bustos who heralds the Filipino way (of eating) over YouTube, and of course Jollibee — the video promotes Filipino cuisine, including the Jollibee langhap-sarap favorites such as Chickenjoy, Jolly Spaghetti, and the Aloha Burger.
The mini documentary was over three minutes long and is available online at Jollibee’s Facebook page and Jollibee Studios Channel. A shorter, 30-second version of the documentary was also unfolded and said to be for international release.
After the premiere of “Eats. More Fun in the Philippines” digital material, DOT and Jollibee jointly hosted the ultimate Feast-ival along with Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Tanmantiong, JFC Philippines Country Head Joseph Tanbuntiong, Jollibee Philippines President JJ Alano, Jollibee Global Chief Marketing Officer Francis Flores, and DOT Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications Howard Uyking to show their support for the campaign.
Guests were guided through the expansive food and heritage village. Each featured section had local performances and food offerings for guests to experience while the campaign endorsers shared their personal stories. At the end, everyone gathered for a grand boodle party-style feast to commemorate Filipino food and Filipino life.
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