By Ishia Eleanor F. Marquez

Far Eastern University (FEU) alumnus and Lokalpedia founder John Sherwin Felix is met with a cyberlibel case after criticizing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s erroneous Malikhaing Pinoy recipe book ‘Kayumanggi: A Kaleidoscope of Filipino Flavors and Traditions.’ 

With 2,000 initial copies, the cookbook was launched last April 2025 in line with the Filipino Food Month and was authored by Chef Jose Antonio Miguel Melchor, in collaboration with DTI, intending to preserve the traditional recipes and heritage of indigenous communities across the Philippines. 

However, many had criticized the inaccuracies of some recipes, including Felix who pointed them out on his archive-based page Lokalpedia that features overlooked Filipino ingredients and local culinary heritage last September 2025. 

In an online interview with FEU Advocate, Felix shared that he received the book as a gift on September 16 last year, and on the following day, he posted about the errors, then later sent letters to key persons from DTI to address the inaccuracies.

However, despite his efforts to raise the issues, the food advocate received no ‘substantial’ reply from the other party. Then on February 25, a cyberlibel subpoena case was filed against the Lokalpedia founder filed by Melchor.

Felix cited different errors in the book, including scientific names of ingredients, historical errors, origin of names, and botanical and procedural errors. He also shared various examples of the inaccuracies, including recipes for kare-kare and tawilis.

“In the page of kare-kare, it was stated that the yellow-orange color was from peanut or peanut butter, I think everyone can attest that the source of colour is atsuwete… In the page of tawilis, they emphasized that tawilis can be found in every lake including Taal Lake, which is wrong…They also added that tawilis looks like freshwater sardines… It is a freshwater sardine, it doesn’t resemble a sardine because it is a sardine,” he stressed. 

For Felix, communicating with locals and experts can lead to proper representation as their culture and identity must be respected and not misinterpreted by lessening errors, stating that the culinary community owes them the knowledge about food traditions. 

“I think it's very important to represent our different communities because that's their culture, that's their identity, and we need to, of course. One is to consult them, talk with the locals [of the communities], talk with the experts of these communities to lessen or at least to eliminate errors [in published materials]… So that we don't misrepresent [their culture], that we actually owe them the knowledge about these traditions [and] food traditions,” he emphasized. 

Moreover, the food heritage advocate also expressed disbelief over the case, adding that he only intended to promote academic discussions and demand accountability over the errors as an expert on the field of culinary and heritage. 

Beyond his expertise, Felix also highlighted how the public deserves an explanation over the recipe book as it was funded using taxpayer’s money, urging to question DTI on the process of publication. 

“How much is the budget in this project? What are the layers [of editing and writing]? What [is] the process of proofreading? What is the editorial process? Did it undergo consultation especially with this kind of project on a national level na napakalaki? So I think this is not an accusation, but actually a critical question coming from a concerned citizen. Anyone can ask these [questions],” he explained.

Additionally, Felix emphasized the importance of a government-released book as many turn to it as a reliable source, stressing the possible impacts of the errors toward the future generations and researchers. 

Under Republic Act 10175, otherwise known as the ‘Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,’ Felix could pay a fine of ₱40,000 to ₱1,500,000 instead of imprisonment as rendered by the Supreme Court.

Moreover, he shared that a counter-affidavit was filed last March 10, with the result expected to be released next week.

Felix graduated Magna Cum Laude in FEU last 2019 under the Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication Major in Communication and Media Studies.

(Photos courtesy of the Department of Trade and Industry and John Sherwin Felix)