The 7th Mangan Taku Cordillera Food Fair returns to the Rose Garden at Burnham Park in Baguio City from April 23 to 27, 2026, and DOT-accredited tourism enterprises across the Cordillera are being invited to join through the Mangan Taku Inclusion Program before registration closes. The program is open to food establishments, restaurants, and tourism enterprises that celebrate and promote the culinary heritage of the Cordillera region.

For food and tourism businesses in the region, this is one of the most direct pathways to visibility among both local and international visitors at an event that has been running for seven years.

What the Mangan Taku Inclusion Program Offers

The Inclusion Program is a recognition initiative built specifically for DOT-accredited tourism enterprises. Qualified establishments that join receive the Mangan Taku Sticker — a visible marker that signals their commitment to preserving Cordilleran food traditions and their participation in the region's gastronomy tourism ecosystem. Beyond the sticker, accepted participants gain a booth at the five-day food fair, direct exposure to the fair's audience of food enthusiasts and tourists, and connections with other businesses and organizations in the food and tourism industry.

For an accredited food establishment trying to expand its reach beyond its regular customer base, a five-day presence at Burnham Park during one of Baguio's most attended annual food events is a practical marketing opportunity that most independent marketing budgets cannot replicate.

What Mangan Taku Is

Mangan Taku, which means "Let's Eat" in Ilocano, is an annual event that has grown into the Cordillera's premier celebration of traditional food, sustainable food practices, and gastronomy tourism. Now in its seventh year, the fair showcases traditional Cordilleran dishes and ingredients alongside the food enterprises and culinary practitioners keeping those traditions alive and evolving.

The fair sits at an intersection that matters for the region's tourism economy: food as cultural heritage, and heritage as a driver of visitor experience. Cordilleran cuisine — with its distinctive use of indigenous vegetables, fermented products, smoked meats, and highland ingredients — is one of the most differentiated food identities in the Philippines. An annual fair that puts that identity in front of visitors at Burnham Park, one of Baguio's most accessible public spaces, is a meaningful platform for the enterprises that carry it.

The global food tourism market was valued at approximately USD 1.1 trillion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 16% through 2030, driven by travelers who increasingly prioritize culinary experiences as a primary reason for choosing a destination. For Baguio and the Cordillera, which already draw significant visitor numbers, food tourism represents one of the highest-leverage ways to deepen visitor spending and extend average length of stay.

Who Should Apply

The program is open to DOT-accredited tourism enterprises — restaurants, food producers, catering businesses, and related establishments — that can demonstrate a connection to Cordilleran culinary traditions through their menu, ingredients, or food practices. Participation highlights dishes and local ingredients, promotes the establishment to a wider audience, and contributes to the preservation of Cordilleran gastronomy.

If your establishment serves traditional Cordilleran dishes, sources ingredients from local highland farmers, or has built a menu around the region's food identity, the Mangan Taku Inclusion Program is built for exactly that kind of business.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ManganTakuInclusionProgram. For inquiries, contact Ms. Mylene P. Tauli at 0920-893-9049, Mr. Jayson F. Borja at 0956-145-1758, or email mangantakucordillera@gmail.com. The 7th Mangan Taku Cordillera Food Fair runs April 23 to 27, 2026 at the Rose Garden, Burnham Park, Baguio City.

Market Context

The global food tourism market was valued at approximately USD 1.1 trillion in 2023 and is projected to grow significantly through 2030, driven by travelers who increasingly choose destinations based on culinary experience. In the Philippines, the Department of Tourism has identified gastronomy tourism as a key pillar of its regional tourism development strategy. For Baguio and the Cordillera, which receive an estimated 1 to 2 million visitors annually, food tourism represents one of the most accessible ways to increase visitor spending and strengthen the local food enterprise ecosystem.

Source:DOT-CAR