MACTAN, Cebu — The Department of Tourism hosted the first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific on Wednesday at Shangri-La Mactan here.

'Filipino cuisine is a diverse tapestry of flavors, reflecting regional characteristics from across our beautiful archipelago of 7,641 islands, from the globally renowned Cebu lechon, and the comforting tastes of adobo and sinigang to Mindanao's distinctive dishes like curacha and pastil, our culinary heritage is rich and varied,' Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in her opening remarks.