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.

Erap, Imelda, Atty. Gozon greets “World Pandesal Day” on Oct. 16

Free 50,000 pugon-baked breads & gifts packs, Free medical/dental/optical mission



Ex-President & Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos, GMA Network, Inc. CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon expressed support for the holding of the “World Pandesal Day” with gift-giving plus free medical/dental/optical mission on October 16, 2016 Sunday at the 77-year-old, artisanal Kamuning Bakery Café at No. 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. October 16 is globally marked every year as “World Bread Day”, but celebrated since 2015 as “World Pandesal Day” by Kamuning Bakery Cafe.



On October 16 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, a free medical, dental and optical mission shall be conducted by 50 volunteer doctors and dentists by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association and the Chinese General Hospital for the less privileged and urban poor at the “World Pandesal Day”. The ceremonial gift-giving of 30,000 pugon-baked pandesal breads and gift packs will start at 9: 30 a.m.



Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said: “My warmest greetings to the artisans, staff and operators of the celebrated Kamuning Bakery Café as they observe World Bread Day through their own adaptation known as the World Pandesal Day.”

Estrada continued: “This occasion is a fitting tribute to our humble and favorite Filipino breakfast staple which is a nourishing fixture in our dining tables as families start their day or as friends congregate in between breaks.”

“I commend the Kamuning Bakery Café and Wilson Lee Flores for expanding the relevance of the event by tackling the issue of widespread hunger. It is an issue that we are familiar with and currently addressing in the City of Manila through daily provision of free and nutritious breakfast set of vitamin-fortified bread and milk to thousands of malnourished elementary schoolchildren. In its initial implementation, we have seen how previously severely wasted students became healthy and active kids.”

Estrada added: “Further, I laud the historic cafe for honoring our local heritage by preserving traditional cooking methods, supporting local produce, and providing a venue for intelligent discussion of social issues. In this age of modernity and constant progression, it is encouraging to know that businesses can successfully thrive by remaining true to their roots.”





Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos said: “My warmest greetings to the Kamuning Bakery Café, for taking this initiative of honoring our well-loved pan de sal by celebrating the World Pandesal Day, concurrent with the global celebration of the World Bread Day.”

Congresswoman Marcos continued: “The humble bread of the Filipinos now takes the center stage as we honor its value, and the symbol it represents in every family. The pan de sal surely gives everyone a special memory of breakfasts and snack times shared with our loved ones. Like the pandesal that transcends every strata of our society, may we all be inspired to break social barriers and be advocates for poverty-alleviation. Congratulations and more power to you!”





GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Atty. Felipe Gozon said: “Congratulations on Kamuning Bakery Café’s celebration of the ‘World Pandesal Day’ which coincides with the global celebration of the ‘World Bread Day’. It is only fitting that a recognized institution in traditional Filipino-inspired bread making would honor such an iconic recipe which has been part of our culture for many years. The pandesal is the only bread that transcends social classes in our country. The Filipino household will never be the same without the pandesal. I am also one with you in helping our underprivileged countrymen through your own simple way. Your modest act of generosity can create a rippling effect.”



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Why “World Pandesal Day”? —The pandesal is the historic and unique national bread of the Philippines, it is bread eaten by the masses, middle-class and by all. The pandesal is a basic necessity of the people, like rice. The humble pandesal bread represents the people’s simple wish for liberation from hunger. Hot freshly pugon-baked pandesal also represents happiness. In celebrating “World Pandesal Day”, Kamuning Bakery Café hopes to give honor to this humble yet great Filipino bread, and to remind all about the goal of eradicating poverty, inequalities and the age-old problem of hunger.





Backgrounder—“World Pandesal Day” was started on October 16, 2015 by Kamuning Bakery Cafe owner & writer Wilson Lee Flores at this historic bakery cafe at 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Kamuning, Quezon City, the Philippines which coincided with the annual “World Bread Day”. Wheat foods do make up 20 percent of the world’s calories, according to the United Nationsa

Hashtags: #worldpandesalday #ChristmasInOctober #kamuningbakerycafe

 

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Actor and then National Youth Commission official Dingdong Dantes graced the Oct. 16, 2015 launching of the “World Pandesal Day” at Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City.