President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., Vice-President Sara Duterte and other leaders have expressed support for the annual “World Pandesal Day” on October 16.
The unique event honors the iconic Filipino bread – Pandesal – while raising awareness about the pressing issue of global hunger. Spearheaded by the 85-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City, to be given away at 10 am onward include 70,000 free Pandesal, along with cheese, sardines, hams, coffee, fruit jams, juices, and other gifts.
The global celebration extends beyond the Philippines, with bakeries and cafes across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions joining in the spirit of generosity in recent years. Free Pandesal breads shall also be sent to orphanages throughout Metro Manila.
According to Kamuning Bakery Café owner Wilson Lee Flores, the inspiration for #WorldPandesalDay stems from the Biblical story of a young boy who shared his five loaves of bread and two fishes, which Jesus Christ miraculously multiplied to feed thousands.
“This event reminds us that even the simplest gestures of sharing can bring hope and inspire change. Together, let us help combat hunger,” Flores said.
Some of the other civic endeavors of Kamuning Bakery Cafe include hosting the non-partisan Pandesal Forum, the annual World Poetry Day celebration, and yearly donations of new public school buildings to disadvantaged rural regions throughout the Philippines.
Last October 11, 2024 Friday at 11 am morning, Kamuning Bakery Cafe officially turned over its donation of a public schoolbuilding to Sinait Elementary School in 371 P. Burgos Street, Brgy. Sinait, Tarlac City. Earlier on May 3 this year, Kamuning Bakery Café led by Wilson Lee Flores also turned over a new four-classrooms schoolbuilding donation to Dinalaoan Elementary School in Barangay Dinalaoan, Calasiao, Pangasinan coinciding with Calasiao’s fiesta.
Since its inception in 2015, World Pandesal Day has garnered the support of notable figures and institutions. The first celebration was launched by then Senator Sonny Angara, GMA Network, Inc. Chairman Felipe Gozon, actor Dingdong Dantes, and Wilson Lee Flores at Kamuning Bakery Café.
Below are the messages from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte for World Pandesal Day:
Message from President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.:
Waking up to the smell of freshly-baked Pandesal is among the most heartwarming experiences we all enjoy as Filipinos. Whether one dips it in coffee or hot chocolate or enjoys it simply on its own, the humble Pandesal always brings comfort and a sense of being home. Every year, the renowned Kamuning Bakery distributes thousands of this versatile bread and other food items to address hunger in the locality, and by doing so, it also spreads awareness of our social responsibility while sharing warmth and solace to those who need it most.
I thus heartily welcome the Kamuning Bakery as it hosts the 10th World Pandesal Day. Your success in the past decade and the extent it has reached with the number of people and organizations following suit serves as a testament to how the greatest visions come to reality when genuine compassion and love for others remain the primary motivation for our actions.
As you offer food and medical services in this event, may your recipients gain hope for the future and renewed confidence in knowing that there is a community that is willing and able to support them. May the gravity of your impact on our society also be reaffirmed in your hearts, especially as your efforts contribute immensely to our collective resolve in building a Bagong Pilipinas—a nation that seeks to overcome poverty and social injustice, one Pandesal and one step at a time.
Congratulations! I wish you a joyous celebration.
FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.
President of the Philippines
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Message from Vice President Sara Z. Duterte:
Assalamualaikum.
I commend the inspiring socio-economic and cultural initiatives the Kamuning Bakery Cafe has organized over the years and its passion for augmenting hunger by distributing thousands of our local staple bread free on World Pandesal Day.
Pandesal has a rich history in our food culture, bringing Filipino families together, and it continues to be an accessible and popular choice for nourishment among Filipinos.
Through World Pandesal Day, I am delighted that the Kamuning Bakery Cafe is synergizing efforts to reach disadvantaged urban families and make food and social services accessible.
By mainstreaming the value of basic nutrition, community service, and multi-sectoral engagement, we build a dynamic society whose food heritage serves as a fundamental resource in reducing the burden of food shortage.
May this celebration create more generous networks of philanthropy as the Kamuning Bakery Cafe flourishes its culinary influence and enable innovative approaches to ensure food security in local communities that complement our government’s nationwide efforts.Patuloy nating mahalin ang Pilipinas.Shukran. Maraming salamat.
SARA Z. DUTERTE
Vice President of the Philippines
This year’s World Pandesal Day promises to create even stronger networks of generosity, bringing together Filipinos and supporters from across the globe in the fight against hunger. As bakeries worldwide participate, the humble Pandesal becomes a symbol of unity, reminding us that small acts of kindness—when multiplied—can create lasting, impactful change.
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