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Balut As A Unique Cultural Icon

Balut is a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled and eaten in the Philippines. It is considered a unique cultural icon in the Philippines as it provides strength and energy and captures Filipino creativity in making something nourishing from limited resources. While balut exists in other Asian countries, it holds symbolic value in Filipino identity and represents Filipino culinary habits of adapting other cultures' dishes to be uniquely Filipino. Therefore, despite arguments that it is not solely a Filipino food, balut's significance in Philippine culture makes it an authentic cultural symbol of the country.

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1K views1 page

Balut As A Unique Cultural Icon

Balut is a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled and eaten in the Philippines. It is considered a unique cultural icon in the Philippines as it provides strength and energy and captures Filipino creativity in making something nourishing from limited resources. While balut exists in other Asian countries, it holds symbolic value in Filipino identity and represents Filipino culinary habits of adapting other cultures' dishes to be uniquely Filipino. Therefore, despite arguments that it is not solely a Filipino food, balut's significance in Philippine culture makes it an authentic cultural symbol of the country.

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jc ner
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Worksheet # 1: “BALUT”: An Exercise on Critical Thinking

Date Accomplished: January


Food, or what people around the world eat as food, mirrors cultural diversity. Balut, for
example, is a delicacy in the Philippines.

Write a short essay of NOT LESS THAN 150 words arguing that balut is a unique
cultural icon of the Filipinos. Compose your essay below.
BALUT AS A UNIQUE CULTURAL ICON
Made from incubated duck eggs, balut is considered to be the Philippines’ strongest snack and
the cultural icon of Filipinos, believed to provide us with strength and energy. It has also been
claimed to positively impact the bodies of those who eat it. And despite the controversies
surrounding this Filipino delicacy, it is undeniable that balut is the cultural staple of us Filipinos
not only due to its affordability and nutritional value but also because it captures the essence of
Filipino culture: our creativity. Although this dish goes by many different names in other parts of
Asia, balut is representative of Filipino culinary habits— making something similar with other
dishes yet uniquely Filipino. Using their range of skills and talents, they are able to overcome the
lack of resources. Moreover, balut also provides symbolic value in Filipino identity. Many argue
that balut cannot be the cultural icon of Filipinos as it is not unique to the Philippines, but I
believe that balut’s authenticity lies in its one-of-a-kindness and the significance given to it. It is
only right that it be dubbed a cultural symbol in the Philippines.
References:
Alejandria, M.C.P., De Vergara, T.I.M. & Colmenar, K.P.M. The authentic balut: history,
culture, and economy of a Philippine food icon. J. Ethn. Food 6, 16 (2019).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-019-0020-8

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