Pigafetta’s Feast: How the First Filipino Meals Were Recorded by a Starving World Explorer

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Before Google Maps, before food blogs, and before the word ‘Philippines’ even existed—Antonio Pigafetta sat cross-legged on woven mats, sharing rice and pork with islanders who had no idea they’d just hosted the first Europeans to ever circumnavigate the globe.

In a world desperately trying to stay alive on rotting ship rations and dwindling hope, Pigafetta—the noble Venetian chronicler aboard Ferdinand Magellan’s ill-fated expedition—found salvation in the uncharted isles of what we now call the Philippines. But what he found wasn’t just land, safety, or shelter. What he found was food.

And he wrote it all down.

Landfall and a Banquet of Firsts

It was March 1521. After three harrowing months crossing the Pacific, the surviving crew of Magellan’s fleet staggered onto the shores of Homonhon, an island untouched by European eyes.

They expected resistance. Instead, they were greeted with kindness—and more surprisingly—a feast.

Pigafetta, ever the attentive scribe, recorded with astonishment:

“They presented some fish and vessel of palm wine, and figs more than a foot long…”

Those “figs” were bananas. The palm wine was what we now call tuba, fermented from coconut sap. For men who had barely eaten anything fresh in weeks, it was a banquet worthy of kings. But this was only the beginning.

Dining with Datus: Porcelain Plates and Pork in Gravy

In Cebu, the grand welcome intensified. They met with Rajah Humabon, the local chieftain, who hosted them in royal fashion. Pigafetta captured this cultural marvel as vividly as a modern food documentary.

“Two large porcelain dishes were brought in, one full of rice and the other of pork with its gravy… After half an hour a platter of roast fish cut in pieces was brought in, and ginger…”

Ginger, already used as a spice in Asia for centuries, was the main seasoning in the Visayan dishes. The use of porcelain dishes hinted at established trade routes with China, a level of civilization that stunned Pigafetta and countered European perceptions of “savages.”

And then came the etiquette.

“They ate with their fingers. The king’s cup was always kept covered and no one else drank from it but he and I.”

Here, Pigafetta wasn’t just tasting food—he was tasting culture. He was welcomed as a guest of honor and made to drink from the king’s own cup. In those small moments, the seeds of cross-cultural diplomacy were planted.

The Coconut: Nature’s Miracle, Island’s Bread

Pigafetta didn’t just eat—he analyzed. His obsession with the coconut reads like a scientific dissection:

“Under that shell there is a white, marrowy substance one finger in thickness, which they eat fresh with meat and fish as we do bread…”

To a Venetian nobleman, it was a miracle tree. He noted how it provided water, wine, vinegar, oil, rope, and firewood, all from a single plant. It was the Philippines’ first ambassador to Europe—delivered not through trade, but through taste.

The Bat That Tasted Like Chicken

Not all meals were so familiar. On Gatighan Island, Pigafetta described a surreal encounter:

“We killed one of them [flying foxes] which resembled chicken in taste.”

Yes, Pigafetta and crew ate fruit bats, creatures “as large as eagles.” For a crew starved of meat, these sky-beasts were both frightening and nourishing. To the locals, they were just dinner.

Rice and Ritual

In the pre-colonial Philippines, rice was life, and Pigafetta saw this firsthand. He described the cooking method using bamboo tubes and earthen pots, often lined with banana leaves. He also took note of millet and other grains, showcasing the diverse diet of early Filipinos.

But more than the food itself, Pigafetta was deeply fascinated by the ritual of eating. Meals were communal. Food was served low to the ground, shared from common plates, and eaten by hand—practices that still persist in Filipino homes today.

A Gourmet Historian Ahead of His Time

What makes Pigafetta remarkable isn’t just that he wrote it all down—but that he wrote with respect, curiosity, and awe. While many European accounts of indigenous cultures were condescending or dismissive, Pigafetta’s chronicle was wide-eyed and almost reverent.

Through food, he found humanity.

Through rice and pork, he found diplomacy.

Through coconuts and palm wine, he found survival.

His journal wasn’t just about geography or conquest—it was about connection. He listed over 400 words from local dialects, including 160 Cebuano terms. Many of them were food-related. His work is now regarded as one of the earliest—and most accurate—ethnographic records of Southeast Asia.

Why It Matters Today

Today, the Philippines is hailed for its diverse and flavorful cuisine. From adobo and lechon to kinilaw and halo-halo, Filipino food is a fusion of indigenous, Asian, Spanish, and American influences.

But long before fusion, before colonization, before even the name “Philippines” existed—Antonio Pigafetta sat on a woven mat, savoring fish soaked in ginger, eating rice with his fingers, and drinking palm wine under coconut trees.

And he told the world.

Final Word

In a voyage marked by hunger, mutiny, and death, Pigafetta’s food journal survives as a rare light—a taste of the Philippines before the storms of colonization.

It was not gold or spices or conquest that first united East and West.

It was a meal.

“In food, we find memory. In memory, we find history.”

Let us never forget that one of our oldest recorded stories begins not with a war, but with a warm meal shared among strangers.

Profit Over Protection? SM Store Draws Flak for Children’s Shirts Depicting Foreign Wildlife as Filipino

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In a country blessed with some of the richest biodiversity on Earth, a glaring oversight has sparked a wave of outrage from conservationists, educators, and concerned citizens alike. The SM Store—one of the largest retail chains in the Philippines—is under fire for selling children’s shirts that inaccurately depict foreign animals as part of the nation’s native wildlife.

Instead of proudly showcasing the Philippines' own unique fauna, the designs on the shirts feature species that have no place in our forests, skies, or grasslands: the European hedgehog, the American bald eagle, an Australian sulfur-crested cockatoo, and what appears to be a Kouprey—an extinct species of Indochinese wild cattle that hasn’t been seen in decades.

"Waddahek! How can you sell children’s shirts with such inaccurate depictions of our native wildlife?” was the impassioned reaction from netizens, echoed in reposts of a statement originally shared by Dr. Mundita Lim, a renowned wildlife expert and vocal advocate for Asian biodiversity. The outcry was not merely about aesthetics. It was about truth, education, and respect for the natural heritage we so often take for granted.

This wasn’t just a design flaw—it was a missed opportunity.

In a time when Philippine biodiversity is under serious threat from deforestation, climate change, poaching, and urban sprawl, every chance to raise awareness counts. The SM Store’s shirts, targeted at young impressionable minds, could have been tools of enlightenment. Instead, they’ve become examples of how profit often trumps purpose, and how a lack of basic research can lead to damaging misinformation.

“We appreciate the idea of promoting wildlife conservation,” many commenters shared. “Basta paki ayos lang po. Just get the facts straight.” It’s a fair ask. After all, a simple online search could have introduced designers to the Philippine eagle—the majestic national bird now critically endangered, the adorable but vulnerable Philippine tarsier, or the rare Visayan warty pig. There’s no shortage of charismatic, beautiful, and real Filipino species to feature.

And yet, what made it onto those shirts were animals kids might only see in foreign documentaries or zoos abroad—none of them representing our country’s ecological identity.

This is more than a critique of design—it’s a wake-up call.

We must stop allowing laziness to dictate how we educate our youth. From textbooks to T-shirts, truth matters. Every image, every story, every message leaves an impression. If we're serious about building a generation that will protect our environment, then let’s ensure we’re giving them the right information. Otherwise, we’re not just failing the children—we’re failing the future.

In a country where environmental destruction often takes a backseat to economic development, it’s easy to dismiss this controversy as trivial. But symbols matter. Representation matters. Accuracy matters.

To the SM Store and other brands with the power to influence minds: you can do better. Use your platform not just to sell, but to inform, inspire, and ignite action. Our wildlife—and our children—deserve nothing less.

PARE to DOE: reform existing subsidy mechanisms

 

June 13, 2025 – Following the Department of Energy's (DOE) statement deeming electricity subsidies as "impossible," Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) urges the government to reassess and reform existing subsidy mechanisms to provide immediate relief to Filipino consumers.

"Declaring subsidies impossible overlooks the potential of optimizing current programs and removing burdensome charges that inflate electricity costs," said Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocacy Officer of PARE. "Instead of dismissing subsidies outright, the government should focus on practical reforms that can alleviate the financial strain on consumers."

PARE highlights that while large-scale subsidies may require extensive legislative processes, there are actionable steps that can be taken promptly:

• Remove the 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on Electricity: Eliminating VAT on electricity can significantly reduce monthly bills for all consumers, especially low-income households.

• Enhance the Lifeline Rate Subsidy: Currently, the lifeline rate benefits consumers using up to 100 kWh per month. PARE advocates extending this to those consuming up to 200 kWh, ensuring broader support for indigent households.

• Reform the Senior Citizen Discount: By making the senior citizen discount indigency-based, the subsidy can be more effectively targeted to those in genuine need, reducing redundancy and leakage.

These recommendations align with findings from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), which identified inefficiencies in the current subsidy system, including overlapping benefits and the application of VAT on subsidies, effectively taxing the assistance provided to consumers.

"We have existing frameworks like the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP), and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) that demonstrate the government's capacity to provide targeted assistance,so why is it impossible for electricity consumers" Satur added. "It's just a matter of political will and administrative efficiency."

PARE calls on the DOE, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and National Electrification Administration (NEA) to collaborate on implementing these reforms. By optimizing current systems and removing unnecessary charges, the government can provide immediate relief to consumers without the need for new legislation.

PARE urges all regulators—DOE, ERC, and NEA—to enforce stricter oversight of electric cooperatives and distribution utilities. A well-managed, transparent, and service-oriented co-op can secure better Power Supply Agreements (PSAs), which in turn result in lower generation rates for consumers. Efficiency at the distribution level is itself a form of subsidy—consumers benefit from better pricing and fewer losses.

"The goal should be to make electricity affordable and accessible to all Filipinos," Satur concluded. "Practical reforms, not dismissive declarations, will achieve this."

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