Vegetarianism has been on the rise in the Philippines in the past few years. Whether this is due to a greater moral and ethical awareness when it comes to food choices or simply a switch to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, there is very little doubt that vegetarianism has leapt from what used to be perceived as a mere fad into something worth committing to.
Despite, however, the significant gains made in the realm of plant-based dietary consumption, being a vegetarian in the Philippines still leaves a lot to be desired.
In this week's edition of Q&A Tuesdays, we look at some of the challenges of being a vegetarian in these parts.
After cutting my meat intake in the past six months, I feel I am at the point where I am ready to finally get rid of meat altogether and have a purely plant-based diet. I have always wanted to become a vegetarian mainly because I want to be healthier. I also realize that I hate to support an industry that systematically and methodically utilizes cruelty to murder animals en masse for human consumption. How's it like to be a vegetarian in the Philippines?
- Lean (Baguio City)
For many Filipinos, switching to a plant-based diet entails a lot of courage and fear. Courage, because only a few Filipinos have so far switched to vegetarianism and decided to commit to it. And fear, because being vegetarian in the Philippines is anything but easy. Here's why:
1. There is a very noticeable lack of vegetarian options.
Either at the supermarket or your friendly carinderia, there is hardly any vegetarian food choice. One could of course go to places like Healthy Options where there is an abundance of healthy fare, but not everybody has the means to shell out a lot of cash in order to afford the pricey food items on display.
2. Meat, meat, and more meat everywhere.
Filipino cuisine hardly dispenses with meat. This is true in nearly all dishes. From menudo to afritada to kare-kare, every bit of Filipino food has some form of meat in it. In fact, the biggest stars of Filipino cuisine -- from the grand lechon roasted slowly over live coal to the ubiquitous adobo to the favorite beer companion sisig -- are all heavy on meat.
Even supposedly vegetable-based dishes are not spared from the addition of animal products. Stewed ampalaya with egg, tasty on its own, is sometimes mixed with shrimp. Pinakbet, which is made of a variety of vegetables, is often mixed with ground pork and fish paste.
3. Social antagonism against vegetarianism.
It's hard to be an out and proud vegetarian in the Philippines because one is bound to get ostracized for it. For many Filipinos, it is simply mind-boggling how one could just surrender meat altogether.
Consequently, vegetarians are mocked, made fun of, and called a variety of names. Doubters abound, too. It's not uncommon to hear vegetarians being mocked for being too pretentious or for being attention-starved drama queens or for attempting something they will give up on eventually.
Words of encouragement? Forget it; you'll never get it.
4. Lack of resources.
There is also a dearth of resources that would-be vegetarians could use to aid them in transitioning into full-blown vegetarianism. Most of the materials available on the subject matter are designed to cater to Western audiences -- something that is definitely not on all fours with the Philippine experience.
But all these challenges come with the territory, so to speak. Sadly, one is never fully a vegetarian without having come across some unsavory comments about being one.
In any event, don't let these challenges get the better of you. Because in the end, being a vegetarian is a vocation -- a lifestyle choice bound to yield some positive impact and result in the betterment of the world.
Thinking of going vegetarian? Here are a few things you shoud do before switching to a plant-based diet.
- Do your research. Or better yet, visit a nutrionist to find out how best to proceed with the dietary switch.
- Join vegetarian support groups in your region or in Manila.
- Shop and cook. The lack of healthy choices around should impel you to be creative and reliant on your imagination. Shop for ingredients and cook on your own to be sure that your food is 100 percent plant-based.
- Commit to the lifestyle. As has been said many times, it's not easy being a vegetarian. The only way it will work is if you will sport the will power to stick to it.
Good luck on this journey!
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