Manila, Dec. 15 -- Cebuano chefs and restaurant owners have reported increased earnings and higher customer turnout more than a month after the Department of Tourism (DOT) facilitated the arrival of the MICHELIN Guide in the Philippines, citing stronger demand for regional cuisine and growing interest from foreign diners.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, in a news release on Monday, disclosed that she heard accounts of improved business performance as she personally handed over MICHELIN plaques to 18 recognized restaurants and eateries in Cebu, eight of which she visited during the second run of the DOT's Resto-Run Caravan on Saturday.

Frasco said a post-announcement survey conducted by the DOT showed that MICHELIN-recognized ...