To address uncertainty over pork-free options in unlabeled campus food, the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Pamantasang Ateneo de Davao (SAMAHAN) Office of the Vice President and the Student Assembly recently passed a resolution mandating the display of pork identification signage at all university food court stalls. 

SALAM: The Ateneo Muslim Society (SALAM: TAMS) External Vice President Ismael Tambuang shared that his personal experience prompted him to propose the resolution, which addresses a concern affecting the Muslim community at the university.

“It was actually proposed out of my personal experience and the genuine concern for inclusivity within the university… As a Muslim who regularly eats in the cafeteria, I often face uncertainty with choosing food due to the absence of pork identification signage.”

Tambuang added that while vendors verbally assured customers that a dish did not contain pork, there was no absolute guarantee that stall personnel were fully aware of all the ingredients used, especially in mixed or processed food items. 

“There was this one instance when I almost consumed a pork-based dish simply because it was not clearly labeled.”

As of January 2026, the university food court stalls displaying pork identification signage include Bite Me Hotdog, Hongkong-Style Fried Noodles by Cafe Ferrer, Pasta la Vista, Potato Planet, 5-Spice, B’s Sandwich, Waffle Time, Santino’s, and Kapitan Sisig, all located in the cafeteria.

A first-year BS Civil Engineering student, Hainen Mama, stated that the cafeteria menu made her hesitant to eat at the university cafeteria prior to the policy’s implementation.

“Nung first sem, naga-iwas ako magkain sa caf kay ‘di naka-segregate ang mga pork and non-pork…As a muslim, naga-50-50 ako mag-eat sa caf. So nung nakita ko ang post na meron na, na gina-separate na ang non-pork, na-happy ako and mas naging confident ako magkain sa caf everyday.”

Meanwhile, Pasta La Vista service crew Girlie Anabiza confirmed a smooth rollout, with management briefing stall owners on the policy’s rationale.

“Naging madali naman po ang pag-implement, madali lang naintindihan para sa aming [mga] tenant kung bakit kailangan. Para hindi na rin po sila [muslim students] nagtatanong kung may pork ba o wala.”

The Assembly Resolution No. 011-2526, urging the Food Court and Commercial Spaces of Ateneo de Davao University to mandate food stalls to display pork identification signages for all food items, was approved during the 9th Plenary Session of the 5th SAMAHAN Student Assembly on October 31, 2025.