The Philippines Department of Tourism (DoT) plans to conduct annual inspections of local restaurants as it anticipates the launch of the Michelin Guide 2026 Philippine edition to help revive the country’s declining tourist arrivals.
Tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said institutionalising the Michelin Guide Philippine edition would involve yearly inspections of restaurants across the country, potentially expanding coverage to Western Visayas and Mindanao.
Currently limited to Manila, its surrounding areas and Cebu, the Michelin Guide 2026 has awarded two stars to Helm in Makati, one star to eight restaurants, the Bib Gourmand distinction (for good food at moderate prices) to 25 establishments, and the Guide’s Selected recognition (for quality cuisine, dining experience and consistency) to 74 establishments.
Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) executive director Benito Bengzon Jr. said the Michelin Guide Philippine edition “obviously raises the profile of the country as a whole as a culinary tourism destination as well as it provides direct benefits to our hotels and resorts where some of those restaurants were identified”.
“So I think overall this is good for tourism, for the hospitality industry and hopefully the list will expand in the years to come,” Bengzon added, noting PHOA supports efforts to feature as many destinations as possible because “what we want is to have a good distribution of travellers”.
Frasco said it took three years to bring the Michelin Guide 2026 Philippine edition to fruition, as part of efforts to place Philippine gastronomy on the global stage.
Feedback from the travel trade has described the Philippines’ inclusion in the Michelin Guide as a boost for tourism, with more tour operators now incorporating culinary tours and experiences as interest in Philippine cuisine grows.
The DoT’s Roadmap for Gastronomy Tourism, and its inclusion for the first time in the National Tourism Development Plan, have encouraged the development of market tourism, Binondo Chinatown food crawls, carinderia (small eatery) tours, farm-to-table experiences and similar offerings in tour packages.
