launches free Medical, Dental and Optical mission benefitting 4 Quezon City schools
Some 100,000 free Pandesal breads and other foods were distributed to urban poor families, public schools and orphanages in celebration of the 9th “World Pandesal Day” last Oct. 16.
Led by Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform Committee, and realty entrepreneur/writer Wilson Lee Flores, the celebration event was held at the 84-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City.
It welcomed private and public sector participation that included—the Chinese General Hospital, Philippine Foremost Milling, San Miguel Mills, Mondelez Philippines, Hobe Noodles, Mega Sardines, King Sue Ham, Yan Yan International Phils. Inc., Caltex in Iba Malhacan Road in Meycauayan Exit of Bulacan, Cathedral Cargo Movers Trucking, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
Vice-President Sara Duterte Carpio, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte joined other top leaders in sending their greetings to this year’s World Pandesal Day.
Representatives from four public schools near Kamuning Bakery Café were present during the Oct. 16 kick-off ceremony of free Pandesal distribution. These included: Principal Luisito O. Cleto, Kamuning Elementary School; Principal Aleth Bautista-Molina,Tomas Morato Elementary School; Principal Josephine Maningas, Quezon City High School; and Principal Marivic Francisco, Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science & Technology High School.
INSPIRING PANDESAL
Flores said “World Pandesal Day” was inspired by the Bible story of the boy who shared his five loaves of breads and two fishes, which Jesus Christ multiplied to feed more than 5,000 people.
“World Pandesal Day seeks to honor the humble yet great Pandesal as national bread of the Philippines and to highlight the need to solve the age-old problems of hunger and poverty,” he added.
A Pandesal Forum highlighted the event, with Senator Villar discussing the need to better harness agriculture and fishing in order to resolve hunger and food inflation, with the end goal of achieving food security.
The previous day (Oct. 15) a free Medical, Dental and Optical mission was also held at Kamuning Bakery Café in cooperation with the 132-year-old Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center led by Philippine Chinese Charitable Association, Inc. Chairman Antonio Tan, President and CEO Kelly Sia, Director Albert Lee and CGH Medical Director Dr. Samuel Ang.
The first “World Pandesal Day” civic and cultural project was launched on October 16, 2015 at Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City with special guests GMA Network, Inc. Chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon, Senator Sonny Angara and National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner and actor Dingdong Dantes.
Past guests to the annual World Pandesal Day included former President Rodrigo Duterte and former Senator-now President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
The historic, artisanal Kamuning Bakery Café is Quezon City’s pioneer bakery and its owner, realty entrepreneur and writer Wilson Lee Flores has turned it into a social enterprise with profits going to civic and cultural charities like rural public schools donations and the annual World Pandesal Day.
CELEBRITIES
Top celebrities showed their support for “World Pandesal Day” by sharing their favorite ways of eating the uniquely Filipino bread.
Movie actress, former Batangas Governor and former Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos Recto said: “My favorite is coffee and cheese in my Pandesal.”
“As a child, my favorite is Pandesal bread with bukayo,” said movie producer Mother Lily Y. Monteverde of Regal Entertainment.
National Artist for music Ryan Cayabyab shared that his favorite pandesal is “yummy oven-warmed Pandesal with hardened butter, dunked in a cup of hot tablea or traditional chocolate, making sure butter is not completely melted.”
For his part, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee said: “I love eating Pandesal with peanut butter, sometimes cheese. I don’t drink coffee.”
Actress and beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez said: “I love eating hot Pandesal with butter. It’s most delicious when you dip it in hot coffee with milk in the mornings or merienda time.”
Comedian Giselle Sanches quipped that she liked eating Pandesal with cheese. “Kesong puti is the best cheese for Pandesal. The Italians would go wild once they get to taste Pandesal with kesong Puti. Cheapest nutritious merienda out there.”
Actress Barbie Forteza said: “For me, my favorite is yung classic Pandesal sa brewed coffee,” while actress Iza Calzado shared that she preferred her Pandesal “toasted with heavenly kesong puti and butter, plus hot chocolate.”
“I love Pandesal! I place my favorite salted butter or margarine and dip the Pandesal in black coffee. Also perfect with fried egg. Sinasawsaw ko ang Pandesal sa egg yolk,” Actress Sunshine Cruz said.
Singer Cooky Chua said: “I love hot Pandesal from the bakery and with palaman of egg or laing.”
“I love old school way of hot Pandesal in the morning with kesong puti and good Batangas coffee,” shared Actor Albert Martinez.
Actor and painter Jao Mapa said: “I love toasted Pandesal bread with butter or sometimes with peanut butter.”
For his part, Quezon City Councilor and actor Alfred Vargas said: “My favorite way of eating Pandesal is when it’s fresh and hot straight from the pugon, then I’ll put kesong puti as palaman or Coco Jam when I’m craving for something sweet. I’ll have the local hot chocolate with it to complete the treat. That is the way we do it in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, my hometown.”—Photos by Mark Nilo Odiaman
