Rice and Filipinos: A love story (2024)

Key Points

• Rice has been a major part of the Philippine diet for centuries. It was a mainstay even before the Spanish colonisation, and its cultivation and consumption have deep historical roots.
• Rice is often considered the heart of Filipino cuisine and is a key element in various celebrations and rituals.
• From the staple plain rice to rice cakes and other delicacies, its versatility makes it a favourite.

For Filipinos, a meal is not a 'real meal' without rice.

Many have tried: how about chips or other kinds of starch as a substitute? But simply, nothing else will do.

"Here in Australia, there are a variety of food available. Staples include fish and chips and, pizza. For me, those aren't real meals! They're just snacks. I need rice," Nae Dizon, chef and content creator, shared.

And even though, as is, rice is unseasoned and almost bland, rice partners well with our beloved Filipino dishes.

Before the Philippines was colonised by Spain, Filipinos were already cultivating rice. The rice terraces was carved out more than 2,000 years ago, way before the Spanish conquistadores arrived.

Things changed when the Philippines was taken over by Spain.

According to

and by food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, the Spanish colonisers implemented a food quota to stave off hunger.

To hasten production of food, they brought agricutural tools like the Southern Chinese plow pulled by a carabao.

Beyond being part and parcel of the Filipino dining table, rice is deeply embedded in Philippine traditions.

Newlyweds are traditionally showered with grains of rice as a sign of blessing, and according to custom, rice is also required before moving into a new home to ward off evil spirits.

Moreover, in many Ifugao homes, harvested rice is placed beneath the home or in a granary, guarded by bulul figures representing a male and female. These figures are believed to cast a cosmic spell, ensuring the abundance of rice supply while in storage.

Rice is literally 'life,' because it can be counted on to stave off hunger.

Rice comes first first: if there’s no budget for dishes, sawsawan like bagoong or asin will do to flavor the rice.

Though rice is considered cheap and affordable, the price of rice is increasing – it was P56.21 during the second phase of February 2024, higher than the average retail prices in January 2024.

In September 2023, the Philippines overtook China as the world’s top importer of rice – around 3.9 MT of rice, according to the USDA for January 2022 to December 2023.

Why do we import so much rice when the country has over million hectares of farmland? That is the burning question.

Local farmers cannot do so, because they’re given the bare minimum, and not given the support they need, according to the

The next time one hears "rice is life" said in jest, they would know that beyond that is a wealth of profound meanings and cultural significance.

Rice is the Filipinos’ past, present, and future.