Rep. Javi Benitez Calls for Clean, Fair, and Sustainable Food Systems During the Terra Madre Asia & Pacific

November 19, 2025

Negros Occidental Third District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez was among the officials who opened the inaugural Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025, delivering a message that underscored the importance of clean, fair, and sustainable food in protecting public health, strengthening local economies, and building national resilience, November 19. “Clean, fair, and sustainable food is the foundation of a healthy society and a thriving planet. When we choose food that respects the soil, the sea, and the communities that produce it, we are choosing a better future for all,” the Representative said in his message. Addressing international delegates, farmers, fisherfolk, chefs, indigenous leaders, government partners, and Michelin Guide awardees, Rep. Benitez described Terra Madre as not just a festival, but a movement. He acknowledged the event organizers, led by Slow Food Negros President and Slow Food International Councilor for Southeast Asia, Chinchin Uy, along with Slow Food International, Slow Food Philippines, national agencies, and local governments, which brought the regional gathering to Bacolod. As Chair of the House Special Committee on Creative Industries, the Representative highlighted the role of creativity in strengthening food systems and community traditions. He also connected the event to his legislative work, citing House Bill No. 309, which aims to designate Negros Occidental as the Slow Food Hub of the Philippines, aligning with the Province’s agricultural heritage and sustainability vision. Rep. Benitez encouraged participants to learn, collaborate, and immerse themselves in the region’s food culture. Terra Madre Asia and Pacific brings together food advocates from around the world to celebrate biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and sustainable food systems, inspired by the Slow Food movement’s core principle of good, clean, and fair food for all. *

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