President Rody R. Duterte, Vice-President Leni Robredo, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Bato dela Rosa and other leaders supported the “World Pandesal Day” celebration on October 16 by the 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe at Judge Jimenez St. corner K-1st Street, Quezon City. President Duterte sent a special message supporting #WorldPandesalDay, which honors the Philippines’ humble yet popular pandesal bread, also a reminder of society’s goal to alleviate poverty and hunger.
“World Pandesal Day” started Oct. 16 Monday at 9 a.m. with Vice-President Leni Robredo, PNP Gen. Bato Dela Rosa, Quezon City Police District chief Senior Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar and Kamuning Bakery Cafe owner Wilson Lee Flores led ceremonial giving of free 50,000 pugon-baked pandesal breads, free Mega sardines, free Fly Ace & Hobe noodles, free King Sue hams, Ok Koolers juices, etc. Wilson Lee Flores said: “Kamuning Bakery Café’s World Pandesal Day gift-giving and other charities are inspired by the Bible story in John chapter 6 verses 1 to 14 about the miracle of a boy’s 5 loaves of breads and 2 fishes, which were multiplied to feed over 5,000 people because of faith. This old-fashioned and simple bakery was saved three years ago, now it has become a source of blessings for others.”
Gen. Bato dela Rosa spoke for two hours and answered all questions of local and foreign media at the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of Kamuning Bakery Café. He spoke frankly about improving peace and order, the status of the anti-drugs war, his personal life story surviving poverty, President Duterte’s reformist leadership, also possibility of entering politics, and his hope that the media will balance reports with accounts also of deaths of his police.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno---who grew up as a public school student at nearby Quezon City High School who bought pugon-baked pandesal, pan de coco and Spanish breads at Kamuning Bakery Cafe---shall speak at the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum”.
Apart from Kamuning Bakery Café’s annual celebration of #WorldPandesalDay, its yearlong donations of breads to orphanages and other NGOs, its hosting the non-partisan and issues-focused “Pandesal Forum”, writer and realty entrepreneur Wilson Lee Flores has announced that 100% profits from this pioneer bakery in Quezon City shall be donated to charities focusing mainly on non-traditional education and cultural causes like its donations of public schools for poor rural barrios.
The Oct. 16 civic event’s hashtag is #WorldPandesalDay.
