DOT: No Madrid Fusion Manila this year

MANILA, Philippines — The annual international food event Madrid Fusion Manila will not push through this year after all.

This was confirmed by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat at the annual meeting of the Manila Business Club on Tuesday.

In a chance interview, Puyat said Madrid Fusion was originally scheduled for April this year. However, it was moved to July and moved again to September leaving the department too little time to conduct bidding.

“But when I was looking at the timelines, we need to bid – no venue, no organizer [yet]. So, we’ve decided not to pursue with it this year because by the time we end bidding, it may be August already. No more time,” Puyat told Philstar.com in a mix of English and Filipino.

Puyat said she has already talked to the Madrid Fusion organization and asked them to move the culinary event to April next year.

“Let’s not hasten it. You have to go through the proper process,” she added.

Madrid Fusion Manila is the only Asian edition of the culinary food event, which is regarded as “the single most important international gastronomy congress in the 21st century.” It is a gastronomy event that has been celebrated annually in Madrid, Spain since 2003.

The Asian edition was intended to put Filipino culinary artists on the map, especially in Europe.

This food congress started when Ramon Jimenez, was Tourism secretary and had been drawing tourists for three years.

The Department of Tourism under Wanda Tulfo-Teo, who has since resigned over allegations of corruption, last January announced that the country would host the event anew.

However, in April, reports surfaced that the food congress was no longer pushing through and would be replaced by “Buhay Carinderia Redefined.” The Tourism Promotions Board, which is in charge of the event, clarified that it might still push trough this year.

Cesar Montano, who has also since resigned as TPB chief operating officer, said the board management initially considered the deferment of the international food event until 2019 due to the non-availability of participating international chefs and exhibitors.

READ: Madrid Fusion Manila might still push through, TPB says

News of the postponement of Madrid Fusion Manila was followed by an announcement that the World Street Food Congress, another annual event, would not push through this year.

Puyat earlier mentioned that she worked with the DOT through the Madrid Fusion Manila while she was still at the Department of Agriculture.