Three Honorians from the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management (CHTM) of Pampanga State University (Pampanga State U) cooked up a winning performance, securing the championship and Best in Main Course honors at the Regional Inter-Collegiate Calutong Camaru 2026 Cooking Competition held on August 27, 2026, at the Magalang Sports Center in Magalang, Pampanga.
Bachelor of Hospitality Management Chairperson and CHTM faculty Mike Haizon David, together with CHTM students Rodrigo Jr. V. Lazaro and Patrick John Mariano, represented the University in the culinary tilt and impressed the judges with their appetizer, Seafood Palabok with Camaro Lumpia, and winning main course, Manok Morcon de Tamales.
“Our main course was inspired by two treasured Kapampangan culinary traditions—the Kapampangan morcon and the tamales of Cabalantian. What started as an idea inspired by our heritage eventually unfolded into a winning creation,” David shared.
“This victory is not only about winning a competition—it is a celebration of our heritage, our students’ dedication, and the timeless richness of Kapampangan food,” he added.
Held as part of the Camaru Festival of Magalang, the competition brought together 19 schools from across Region III for a culinary showdown featuring traditional Kapampangan dishes and specialties from different towns of Pampanga, with camaru as the featured ingredient.
Photo credits: College of Hospitality and Tourism Management
