ASK FILIPINOS about their favorite festival memories, and chances are a memorable meal will be part of the story. It might be a regional specialty tried for the first time, a spread enjoyed with friends, or a family recipe that brings back memories of home. Across the country, sharing a meal is one of the ways Filipinos celebrate, welcome guests, and keep traditions alive.
That connection inspired Erceflora Probiotics’ Eats Will Happen experience at Bacolod’s MassKara Festival. At the heart of the celebration was a 12 x 16-foot boodle feast that doubled as a first-of-its-kind edible advertisement, turning the brand’s message about gut health into an immersive, shareable experience. Alongside an interactive booth, the larger-than-life feast brought Erceflora’s message to life in a festival known for its colorful masks, lively performances, and strong sense of community.
The cultural significance of Filipino cuisine has also gained national recognition. At the launch of Filipino Food Month 2026, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chairman and executive director Eric Zerrudo spoke about the role of culinary traditions in connecting people to their history and to one another.
“Many of our beloved traditions rooted in food affirm that we share a common bond in ASEAN communities—that food is life, memory, and belonging. Food connects us beyond borders, bridges languages, and creates dialogue where words may fail,” Zerrudo said.
For Erceflora Probiotics, MassKara offered a natural setting to connect the joy of feasting with the importance of gut health, reminding festivalgoers that while indulging in good food is part of the celebration, taking care of their gut goes hand in hand with enjoying every bite.
“For Filipinos, celebrating means sharing a feast and going back for seconds. That love for food is part of who we are, and we shouldn’t have to give it up to stay healthy. It’s about balancing indulgence with gut health, so we can keep enjoying the celebrations and traditions we love,” said Rica Mateo, Erceflora ASEA Zone Brand Lead.
Discovering Bacolod, one shared feast at a time
Bacolod offers visitors a taste of Negros’ culinary traditions, from its well-known chicken inasal to regional specialties passed down through generations. Sampling local dishes is a way to experience the city beyond its festival attractions and discover the stories behind its ingredients, recipes, and cooking traditions.
At MassKara, Erceflora Probiotics partnered with local Negrense chefs and restaurants to bring a boodle feast to life, featuring beloved regional specialties like Chicken Inasal and Cansi alongside festival favorites such as lechon belly, kinilaw, grilled pusit, grilled fish, and pancit. The collaboration celebrated Bacolod’s rich food culture while bringing the community together over a feast made for sharing.
With dishes laid out across a massive boodle feast, the spread was more than a shared meal—it captured the communal spirit of Filipino celebrations, where the feast let guests enjoy familiar favorites, discover different dishes, and gather around one table, celebrating the Filipino belief that a feast is best when there’s enough for everyone.
Beyond the feast, festival-goers joined quick-fire trivia about Bacolod, MassKara, and Erceflora Probiotics, alongside playful challenges inspired by Filipino eating habits. More than just entertaining activities, these engagements served as opportunities to educate consumers on when and why probiotics matter, helping them better understand gut health and empowering them to make informed choices in caring for their gut while enjoying the food they love.
For Erceflora Probiotics, the experience reinforced a simple message: looking after yourself can be part of enjoying life.
“Through Eats Will Happen, we want to be part of the experiences that make Filipino celebrations memorable. From discovering Bacolod’s local specialties to sharing a boodle feast, these moments bring people closer to our culture and to one another. It’s a reminder that looking after your gut can go hand in hand with enjoying the traditions we love,” Mateo added.
Through Eats Will Happen, Erceflora Probiotics brought its gut-health message into the heart of Bacolod’s culinary traditions and community spirit, reminding festival-goers that while feasting is part of the fun, it can also put their gut to work. Because enjoying the food you love and taking care of your gut go hand in hand, gut health is an important part of every celebration.
