Vegetarianism and veganism in the Philippines

Vegetarianism and veganism in the Philippines refer to dietary and lifestyle practices that exclude meat (vegetarianism) or all animal-derived products (veganism), as observed within the cultural, social, and economic context of the Philippines. While traditionally centered around meat and seafood, Filipino cuisine also features a variety of plant-based dishes influenced by indigenous practices, religious fasting traditions, and international culinary trends.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, driven by health concerns, environmental awareness, animal welfare advocacy, and global movements.[1][2]

History

According to Quezon City-based food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, Spanish, Chinese and American influences have shaped Filipino cuisine as well as modern attitudes—including some resistance—toward vegetarianism and veganism.[3]

Social attitudes to veganism and vegetarianism

Vegan and vegetarian communities

Accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram bring awareness about vegetarianism and veganism in the Philippines. Manila Vegans, a Facebook group with over 53,000 followers founded by Nancy Siy,[4] supports a growing vegan community and highlights issues such as animal cruelty in the Philippine food industry.[5][6]

Proponents of the vegan and vegetarian movement

Filipinos from different backgrounds have contributed to the vegan and vegetarian movements using their expertise in culinary, business and social media.

Dhanvan Saulo is the co-founder of the Cosmic restaurant chain, which has two stores in Manila and one on the island of Siargao.

Tita Soliongco is the founder of The Vegetarian Kitchen, Manila's longest continually operating vegetarian establishment.[3][7]

Auggie Yap-Suratos and Israel Suratos are the co-founders of The Vegan Grocer, a vegetarian and vegan retailer with two outposts in Manila, one in San Juan City and one in Las Piñas City.[8][9][1]

Vegan dining

Naturally vegan Filipino foods include dishes like banana cue, buko, ginataang bilo-bilo, ginataang langka, kamote cue, laing, puto, taho, and turon.[1]

Numerous restaurants cater to the growing interest on veganism, including Greenery Kitchen, Cosmic and Green Bar in metro Manila's Makati City district.[1] There are also dozens of vegetarian restaurants throughout the country.[10][11]

Vegan events

The annual VegFest Pilipinas was established in 2016 to present alternatives to the country's meat-dominated food economy. It is the first vegan event in the Philippines and the largest vegan festival in Asia.[5][12][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "In meat-mad Philippines, more people are turning vegan". South China Morning Post. 2020-01-10. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  2. ^ Manahan, Job (April 3, 2021). "Experts urge Filipinos to embrace plant-based diet to boost health amid pandemic". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Bauck, Whitney (2023-07-01). "'I didn't want to give up my culture': vegan chefs reimagine Filipino dishes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  4. ^ "Manila Vegans | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  5. ^ a b Bauck, Whitney (2023-07-01). "'I didn't want to give up my culture': vegan chefs reimagine Filipino dishes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
  6. ^ "Friends not food: Inside the thriving community of vegans in the Philippines". Rappler. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  7. ^ "The Vegetarian Kitchen". Retrieved 2025-02-11 – via Facebook.
  8. ^ "The Vegan Grocer". Tzu Chi Philippines. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  9. ^ "Joyfully Vegan: An Interview with The Vegan Grocer's Auggie Yap-Suratos". Naturally Immune. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  10. ^ "Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in the Philippines". PETA Asia. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  11. ^ Gulfan, Weizel (Jan 31, 2020). "Attention, vegans: Here's a guide to vegan-friendly restaurants in Makati and BGC". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  12. ^ "In meat-mad Philippines, more people are turning vegan". South China Morning Post. 2020-01-10. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
  13. ^ Yuvienco, Jemps Gallegos (2024-12-09). "A celebration of compassion and creativity at Asia's biggest vegan festival". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
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