70,000 Breads & Other Food Given by Quezon City’s Oldest Bakery in #WorldPandesalDay

Quezon City Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte, GMA Network, Inc. chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon and Congressman Neri Colmenares led guests who assisted Kamuning Bakery Café owner Wilson Lee Flores in giving away 70,000 pandesal, cheese, sardines, noodles and other foods on the 4th “World Pandesal Day” on October 16.

Despite a February 6 fire from a neighboring resto bar which burned down Quezon City’s pioneer and award-winning 79-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café, its owner Wilson Lee Flores, staff and bakers are still optimistic.He is not discouraged, because he said he has overcome many other past crises ever since the death of his father when he was only seven years old and he had also witnessed his late teacher mother’s strong faith.

Wilson Lee Flores is a writer, teacher and realty entrepreneur who bought and revived Kamuning Bakery in 2014 due to his passion for history and good food.

On Oct. 12 at Quezon City’s 79th anniversary celebration at Crowne Plaza Galleria Hotel, the city government led by Mayor Herbert Bautista, Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte and City Council Majority Floor Leader Franz Pumarengave Wilson Lee Flores the “Manuel L. Quezon GawadParangal Award” for being one of Quezon City’s most outstanding citizens. The GawadParangalSelection Board included former U.P. President Prof. Emerlinda Roman, former Budget Minister Manuel Alba, writer Prof. Butch Dalisay, City Administrator Aldrin Cuña and former actress, former Vice-Mayor Connie Angeles.

Wilson Lee Flores said he accepted the Manuel L. Quezon GawadParangal Award in behalf of his late parents who died when he was young but who inspired him, his supportive younger sister Marilou F. So, his loyal and hardworking staff and bakers.

The annual #WorldPandesalDay as civic & cultural endeavor.

The 4th “World Pandesal Day” was held on October 16, 2018 at the burnt ruins in Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Barangay Kamuning, Quezon Citywhere Kamuning Bakery Café gave free 70,000 pandesal breads and other foods.

On October 28 Sunday 8 a.m., the public is also invited to a free medical, dental and optical mission at Kamuning Bakery Café in cooperation with Chinese General Hospital led by its CEO Dr. James G. Dy.

These Oct. 16 and Oct. 28 events are the last two events to be held here, before Kamuning Bakery Café’s burnt ruins shall be totally demolished, except for two surviving pugonbrick ovens which shall be retained for heritage preservation during its reconstruction.

With hashtag #WorldPandesalDay, this is a unique socio-civic and cultural endeavor to highlight the importance of the Philippines’ humble yet popular pandesal bread, to underscore the importance of all people helping solve the age-old problem of hunger.

Wilson Lee Flores said an inspiration for World Pandesal Day is the Bible story of a poor boy who gave 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, which faith in Godmultiplied to feed thousands.

The non-partisan Pandesal Forum, donating public schools

As part of its non-traditional civic and cultural causes, Kamuning Bakery Cafe also hosts the tertulia-inspired and non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” for newsmakers and leaders to dialogue with media and intellectuals over meals of pandesal with other foods and coffee brewed from Benguet province arabica beans. Kamuning Bakery Café owner Wilson Lee Flores said: “In this liberal and informal Pandesal Forum which is part of this company’s unique CSR or corporate social responsibility, discussions focus on socio-economic, gut or “pandesal” issues affecting the people, and other topics. The pandesal is unique to the Philippines, loved by the masses, middle-class and by all, it symbolizes people’s simple happiness and wish for liberation from hunger.”

Kamuning Bakery Café is also the first Philippine bakery café to celebrate “World Poetry Day” every March 21, by inviting the public to send in original poems as payments for their coffee or tea.

Ever since Wilson Lee Flores took over and revived Kamuning Bakery Café, it has championed diverse socio-civic, cultural, arts and other causes including the donation of four public schoolbuildings. The first public school was donated in the historic seaside town of Balangiga in Eastern Samar province. This fourth-class municipality was victim of cruel colonial war over a century ago from 1901 to 1902, with its stolen church bells still in the U.S.

Analysts Laud Duterte’s Successful Diplomacy on Arbitration Decision & Spratlys

July 12 marks second anniversary of the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands on the case filed by the Philippines against China on the territorial dispute in the Spratlys and the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, causing problems in bilateral diplomatic and economic relations as well as increasing tensions in the region.

On July 9, the non-partisan Pandesal Forum with media in Quezon City had three geopolitics and diplomacy experts former Undersecretary Butch Valdes, former Philippine diplomat to Washington, D. C. Adolfo “Ado” Paglinawan and Ateneo de Manila University lecturer Lucio Pitlo III to discuss this issue, and they lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s “pragmatic approach of normalizing diplomatic ties with China and engaging in bilateral negotiations without forsaking the Philippines’ territorial claims and without losing the PCA victory”.  Moderator of Pandesal Forum is Wilson Lee Flores, owner of the 79-year-old Kamuninhg Bakery Café.

The three experts said the Duterte administration’s wise and sober handling of the PCA decision and upholding an independent foreign policy of befriending all the world’s big powers USA, China and Russia have “resulted in lowering tensions in the region and contributing to peace in Asean as well as Asia”.

Three geopolitics analysts recently said this is the second anniversary of the Duterte administration’s “successful high-level diplomacy and independent foreign policy which advance and protect the Philippines’ national interests without forsaking territorial claims”.

Pagkalinawan and Valdes pointed out that the PCA isn’t a United Nations body and not a court, but an ad hoc arbitration mechanism similar to a local barangay hearing to arbitrate with two conflicting persons after which an unsettled dispute can thereafter be elevated to a real court. They pointed out that the PCA also has no enforcement mechanism and that the other party, China, had refused to participate. Valdes and Pagkalinawan concluded that the previous Aquino administration’s filing of this case at this PCA without China’s participation had therefore rendered the ruling as “more for propaganda purposes rather than as a way for resolution of the territorial dispute”.

Valdes and Paglinawan both lauded the Duterte administration’s “wise, pragmatic and high level diplomacy” approach to setting aside the PCA decision, but not forsaking it, while normalizing the ancient bilateral diplomatic and economic ties of the Philippines with the world’s No. 2 economic superpower China.

Valdes and Pagkalinawan agreed with President Duterte’s openness to possible joint exploration of the disputed area and joint development of any resources in the Spratlys, pointing to the Philippines’ joint venture with Western countries in the gas project of Malampalaya, Palawan as an example.

Academic scholar Lucio Pitlo III said bilateral negotiations between the Philippines and China has good precedents based on two countries’ histories. He said the Philippines has successfully, peacefully settled with Indonesia on our maritime borders after 20 years of patient, bilateral negotiations, while China has also successfully concluded its border demarcation boundaries with 13 countries out of 14 neighbor countries that have land borders with China such as Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afganistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.  As of today, China have settled its border disputes through years of peaceful, bilateral negotiations with 13 of the 14 countries (all except India).

Gov. Imee Marcos plans Senate bid, invites tourists to Ilocos Norte 200th anniversary

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos confirmed to media that she’s thinking of running for the Senate in 2019 but is still now “50/50” on this decision until final consultations with her mother Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos and other kin, she said this at Kamuning Bakery Café’s non-partisan Pandesal Forum. Despite the Feb. 6 fire which burned down Quezon City’s pioneer, iconic, 79-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café, the previously scheduled forum with media proceeded at a temporary venue.

            Governor Marcos expressed her strong support for “the successful socio-economic, foreign policy and political reforms of President Rody R. Duterte” which she said have sustained, fast and more inclusive Philippine economic growth. One of the tangible benefits of the country’s robust economic growth is booming tourism not only nationwide, but also to Ilocos Norte such as the arrivals of Star Cruise tourist groups and others enjoying the historic, cultural and numerous unique eco-tourism wonders of Ilocos Norte province.

            Governor Imee Marcos announced also that Ilocos Norte has launched their year-long celebration of the bicentennial or 200th anniversary celebration of the creation of the province starting in February 2018. She welcomes more tourists and investors to visit their province.  

            In response to recent problems of Boracay, Governor Marcos said that her province of Ilocos Norte recognizes that it cannot accommodate many millions of mass tourists yearly but would prefer to cater to manageable numbers of tourists in order to enhance the ecology, nature, sustainability, and beauty of the province.

            Governor Imee Marcos lamented the delays in the on-going election protest case of her younger brother former Senator Bongbong Marcos and expects a recount of provincial votes in Camarines Sur to start soon.

            When asked if her running for the Senate in 2019 is due to their efforts to rehabilitate the legacy of their father the late President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Governor Imee Marcos said that her possible running or the vice-presidential bid of Bongbong Marcos, all that have nothing to do with their father’s legacy. She stressed that President Marcos’ legacy can stand on its own based on his solid accomplishments in massive infrastructures, socio-economic welfare programs, a more independent foreign policy of the Philippines befriending all the world’s big powers, etc., and that nothing they---his children---shall do or not do, can change his legacy for future historians and future generations to judge dispassionately and objectively.

            Governor Imee Marcos added that her family has endured 32 years of criticisms by critics and political foes on the alleged wrongs of their father’s administration, but they are also gratified that more people---especially millenials and the youth---are also giving due recognition to the numerous contributions of President Marcos to nation-building and development.

            When asked why at the Panagbenga Festival, she and former Senator Bongbong Marcos were allegedly campaigning there, she said some critics are exaggerating the issue, but she and her brother were grateful for the warm welcome of Baguio people and they were very touched to witness that there’s still the “Solid North” unity of many Ilocano people.  

            On the Marcos wealth issue, Governor Imee Marcos said that there is nothing concrete yet on this issue, but she hopes that proper representatives from their family and the government can thresh out something during the term of President Duterte, because she and her family trust that Duterte shall be sincere and capable in putting to good use for the public welfare whatever money to be returned. In reply to questions, she said she still had no idea the exact amount of money to be negotiated.

            On what her top priorities shall be as possible Senator, Governor Imee Marcos cited these top 3 advocacies---First, the construction of better, modern nationwide and provincial public transportation systems to benefit rural development and economic development; Second, ensuring cheaper consumer prices and putting in place social safety nets for ordinary and poor families to protect them from high prives; Third, reforms to create millions of new jobs. She said that her advocacies mainly support the progressive, pro-people and comprehensive reforms by the strong-willed President Duterte. She urged all leaders and citizens to unite in supporting the government’s reform efforts.

            On the recent controversy about the new Bagani TV series of ABS CBN, Governor Imee Marcos said she and Ilocos Norte province enthusiastically support “this beautiful, well-made, and interesting TV series” which was set and shot in the natural locations of their province. She believes this project doesn’t dis respe3ct our cultural minorities or indigenous peoples.  Governor Imee Marcos encouraged the public to watch this new TV series, also congratulating Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Matteo Guidecilli, Sofia Andres and others behind the project for their good talents, their creativity, and professionalism.

            Herself a former movie producer, head of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) and producer of classic Filipino films like Nora Aunor’s multi-awarded “Himala”, Governor Imee Marcos said she is thinking of again going into movie production to boost support for Philippine cinema and arts. She also welcomed local and international film producers and others to continue using the beautiful and “lucky” Ilocos Norte province as location for their projects, citing the box office successes and critical acclaim of many movie and TV projects shot there through the decades.

*This is Press Release

Kamuning Bakery Cafe Burnt, but Continues to Bake

Quezon City’s pioneeer, artisanal and iconic 79-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe wishes to express sincere gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of concern and support by multi-generation customers, friends, the general public and others including many artists, intellectuals, government and business leaders, diverse NGOs, etc. after it suffered an accidental and destructive fire last February 6, 2018.

            Special thanks to the media for support in this difficult and sad crisis.

            Kamuning Bakery Cafe also wishes to thank the Quezon City local government and firemen as well as many Filipino Chinese volunteer fire brigades of Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Kalookan, Valenzuela, Bulacan and others for their assistance.

            The plan of Kamuning Bakery Cafe is to somehow, in time and after good planning, rebuild with a special focus on restoration and heritage preservation. The two antique “pugon” or wood-fired brick ovens, parts of the building facade and some memorabilia survived the fire.  

            

Despite the burning of Kamuning Bakery Cafe on February 6, 2018 from   12:52 a.m.to 2:43 p.m., which destroyed most of the establishment and its equipment’s estimated by the Quezon City Fire Department in its February 21, 2018 official report at P22,384,054.46 million pesos in total losses or damages, KBC announced that it has resumed selling some breads and pastries outside the old site at Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Quezon City starting February 22, 2018. Its selling hours are shorter from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., due to lack of electricity. 

            Before the fire, Kamuning Bakery Cafe has already operated two small branches at 100 Scout Delgado Street, Quezon City (beside Annabel Restaurant, Morato Avenue) and at SM North Edsa’s 2nd-floor East Bridge (between parking building & main mall, near SM Cinema). These two small branches continue to serve customers despite the fire, with some baking facilities at the Scout Delgado branch.

            Kamuning Bakery Cafe shall continue its various socio-civic undertakings, such as the non-partisan and tertulia-inspired Pandesal Forum with media and intellectuals. Pandesal Forum hosts leaders, newsmakers, artists, and reformers for dialogue with media and intellectuals, with the goal of helping elevate the quality and idealism of public discourse on issues.

Duterte’s handling of Arbitral Tribunal case described as “win-win diplomacy”

Defense/diplomacy expert General Victor Corpus and geopolitics analyst former Education Undersecretary Antonio "Butch" Valdes on July 11 at non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City said President  Rody R. Duterte's wise, nationalist and pragmatic handling of the July 12, 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision victory of the Philippines "has brought about stability to Asia, lessening of regional tensions, promoted a win-win strategy benefiting both the Philippines and China, upholding our pursuit of a truly independent foreign policy".

General Corpus said the Philippines had basically two approaches to handle the arbitrary case, the win-lose option or the win-win option. He explained that the win-lose approach calls for pushing the Philippines' total win at the arbitral tribunal and to force the non-participant party China into a total loss position, while Duterte's successful win-win strategy now allows both countries not to surrender or compromise any sovereignty rights and also not endlessly quarrelling, but both countries agreeing to disagree while continuously negotiating, improving the two countries’ ancient bilateral diplomatic and economic relations.

Corpus said President Duterte’s independent foreign policy reform still asserts the Philippines’ sovereignty claims in the Spratlys vis-à-vis those of the rival claims of China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and others, but these territorial disputes shouldn’t sour the Philippines’ important diplomatic and economic relations with all these Asean and Asian neighbors. On the question on how best to respond to China’s constructions in the disputed Spratlys, General Corpus said that he believes the best Philippine response is the Duterte administration’s current policy of maintaining the status quo in the region: the Philippines continues to occupy and build on islets we hold on to, while China and other Asian governments can do so in their respective areas that they now physically hold on to, negotiating for demilitarization of the region and for a Code of Conduct for the region.

Valdes said that President Rody R. Duterte’s independent foreign policy has stabilized Asia, that peace isn’t just the absence of war and that the Philippines’ new “win-win” approach to diplomacy is bringing more economic development benefits to the country and to the whole region.

General Victor Corpus also added that President Duterte’s adroit handling of the Arbitral Tribunal case victory and his high-level statesmanship helped “prevent the possibility of war breaking out in this region”, because Duterte has lessened the possibility of war and of the Philippines becoming a target country in case of superpower rivalry between our military treaty ally U.S.A. and China. Corpus explained that he Duterte is correct in analyzing that China is willing to go to war for the disputed Spratlys and has built port facilities in the disputed islets because it doesn’t want the strategic Straits of Malacca to be blockaded by any foreign country since that area is where much of China’s global trade and imported oil pass.

Corpus also pointed out that China’s government has built up its defense capabilities in this region, in order to safeguard against or block any nuclear and other military strikes against its economically vital coastal cities.

General Corpus said President Duterte’s “successful, nationalistic and win-win diplomacy should be supported by all sectors of our Philippine society”. He said that the Philippines’ independent foreign policy should be guided only by what is beneficial for the national interests and sovereignty of the country, not to be beholden to or dictated upon any big power.

Both Corpus and Valdes said Duterte’s independent foreign policy has resulted in the Philippines becoming now a friend and trading partner of all the world’s big powers USA, China and Russia, the country is no longer considered a foe or a threat to any big power. They both said that the Philippines is becoming more similar to any normal sovereign Asean or Asian country, an ally to all big powers in an equidistant manner and gaining from economic and strategic advantages from all these big powers.

The non-partisan, tertulia-inspired Pandesal Forum of the 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café hopes to help elevate the quality of public discourse on national and international issues, current affairs, focusing more on reforms. The Pandesal Forum invites newsmakers, leaders and experts to dialogue with media and intellectuals.

This July 11 Pandesal Forum on the Arbitral Tribunal Case was co-organized with the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) and the Phil-BRICS Strategic Studies.

2017: charter change, fastest Philippine economic growth of 7.5% to 8%, sports reforms

“We at the House of Representatives guided by the priorities of President Duterte and under the leadership of Speaker Alvarez, we shall prioritize charter change for new year 2017 and other socio-economic reforms. We foresee the fastest ever Philippine economic growth ranging from 7.5% to 8% a year for the coming 5 years due to more massive new infrastructure projects and other reforms” 1-Pacman Partylist Congressman Mikee Romero said at the December 13 non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of 77-year-old, artisanal Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City. Romero was accompanied by his partymates Congressman Eric Pineda and Pampanga Congressman Dong Gonzales.  

            At the free-wheeling Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café, Congressman Mikee Romero said that legislators now in Congress are different in terms of successful daily quorum in attendance and in the speed of passing priority bills such as the National Budget for 2017.

            Cong. Romero foresees charter change towards federalism to move forward smoothly in 2017, with debates and public consultations for creating 12 new federal regions for the Philippines which shall hopefully improve political and economic democracy. Romero said if the charter change work moves on schedule, it is possible to hold a nationwide plebiscite in time for the 2019 mid-term elections.

            On President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs, congressmen Romero, Pineda and Gonzales all expressed strong support, saying: “The war on illegal drugs is a war on ‘narco-politics’, this war will dramatically improve peace and order nationwide and thus lead to better Philippine economic growth. We support President Duterte’s sincere wish and goal of ensuring social peace for the next generation of the Filipino nation by ending the illegal drugs menacel.” They said 2017 will see accelerated debates and public consultations on such new priority bills as the re-imposition of the death penalty on heinous crimes and the lowering of the age for criminal liabilities because many drug dealers have been using young people as illegal drug couriers or accomplices.

           

            Cong. Mikee Romero admitted that there is opposition to the death penalty bill by certain sectors, such as the Roman Catholic Church, but he said the legislators will hold debates and public consultations before making their final vote on this proposal. Romero also stressed that it is not true that the proposed death penalty will be unfair to poor offenders of heinous crimes since rich convicts tend to hire better lawyers, he stressed that laws apply to all rich or poor and what we should ensure is improvement of efficiency and fairness of the criminal justice system.

            Congressmen Mike Romero, Eric Pineda and Dong Gonzales also announced the good news for 2017 of the proposed new “Department of Sports”, this bill they had filed. They also shared the good news that President Duterte is giving government budget of P3 billion pesos for the construction of the new “Philippine Olympic Training Center” on 50 hectares of land in Clark, Pampanga. The legislators hope reforms can help make the Philippines become more competitive in international sports competitions, no longer a laggard in Asean or Asia.

            Congressmen Romero, Pineda and Gonzales lauded the good leadership and reforms by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez, while severely criticizing the “failed leadership” of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr. who just recently won his fourth term. Congressman Mikee Romero also publicly called for former Congressman Peping Cojuangco to resign from the POC, to give way to new vigor and new reforms in Philippine sports.

           

            Cong. Mikee Romero also appealed to Transportation Secretary Art Tugade to speed up reforms to solve what he described as “the horrible traffic mess in Metro Manila which people have been suffering daily for years”, and he lamented that DOTC has “not yet shown any positive results in the past six months”.

            Congressman Eric Pineda also made a public appeal for improvement of the country’s telecommunications services and the construction of more cell sites as among his legislative priorities for 2017.