Tapping into the Pinoy-style of tipping

To tip or not to tip

BY CARLA MORTEL BARICAUA

Aug 1, 2024 10:56 PM

  

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Illustration by Ariana Maralit

For service workers living on minimum wage, tipping is a welcome gesture that could spell the difference between making ends meet and falling into debt days before payday. Far from being mandatory in the country, handing out tips has become common in some establishments or circumstances.

Tourists regularly practice tipping in areas they frequent, such as hotels, restaurants, and casinos, and when they use services like transportation and health and wellness, among others. Filipinos are generally not expected to give tips, but they have adapted the practice from Western culture, which has become more widespread, especially in commercial and urban areas.

 Cristina Santiago of Carmelo's Steakhouse

“In the US, tipping is mandatory. In Europe, some establishments have started to regard tips as mandatory. Here, it’s given out of consideration for a job well done,” shared Cristina Santiago, the restaurateur behind Carmelo’s Steakhouse. She suggests adopting the foreign practice of tipping “because our servers work so hard for their families. More than that, it’s to show that they are part of the business success; they should be able to get a portion of whatever amount the business earns for itself.”

Tipping Pinoy-style

While there are no hard and fast rules, Filipinos give tips to show appreciation for service well done, or products received beyond one’s expectations. Filipinos tip waiters, servers, taxi drivers, hotel and housekeeping staff, personal care technicians (barbers, hair stylists, masseuses), and even personal trainers or dance instructors.

“I give tips when I have extra money. I usually leave tips for the restaurant service crew, our neighborhood barber, and sometimes for a kind cab driver. I don’t see it as a requirement but as a form of gratitude for the great service. Of course, I wouldn’t feel obligated to leave a tip if I get served a soup with a fly,” said Mark Go, a long-time travel writer.

Mark Go, travel writer

From her experience, Santiago said, “Since it’s not mandatory, it acts like a motivator. Servers and waiters perform better because of the expectation of receiving a monetary reward for a job well done. On the guest side, it serves as a ‘quid pro quo’, you get what you deserve. But some guests are difficult to please, which is a disadvantage to our servers because their extra money is at the mercy of the customers.” 

For Jing Ordoñia, a travel writer and tour guide, tipping is a personal choice. Whether to tip big or small relies on the type and cost of products and services, and the number of years of good service. He also observed that just like him habitual tippers usually prepare loose change or bills in small denominations to be handed discreetly; slipped in a cash envelope, or dropped in a tip jar.

Jing Ordoñia, travel writer and tour guide

For public transport, Ordoñia feels “there is no need to give tips, in general. For taxi rides, I round off the bill since I don’t use my senior card. The same applies to delivery service and park attendants.” 

Inside establishments “a 100 pesos may be sufficient for a bellboy and staff in a 2- or 3-star hotel, higher in a 4- or 5-star hotel. Sometimes I give a bigger tip if I am there for business,” he added. 

Ordoñia's tips are based on 10 to 20 percent of his food bill, but if there is a service charge, he leaves no tips, "unless the service is extraordinary.”

Tips for equal sharing

Mc Wilson Corporation President and CEO Reagan Tan said that customers in his restaurants (Tatatito, Gringo, Honeybon, Tokyo Bubble Tea, and Kaokee) don’t feel obligated or pressured to give tips. “This makes them more appreciative which often results to giving generous tips. When there are no tips, it is not frowned upon since they know that good service is their duty and part of the day’s work.” 

Tips or no tips, Tan believes that “Filipinos are hospitality-oriented people; we give our best service whether or not customers leave a tip. A good service rendered always fetches a good tip. A returning customer will always leave a good tip for a reliable service and consistently good experience.” In some cases, tips are pooled together by the management and distributed among the service staff at the end of each month.

In their establishments, Tan shared that they practice pooling the tips to ensure that both the dining and kitchen staff get their fair share. He also finds this procedure prevents management or staff from tip pocketing, or keeping the tips to themselves.

“The management and distribution of tips is discussed among the staff. The common practice is to divide it equally. Some ‘outliers’ though push tips to be personalized. Servers get what is inside the bill jackets. A percentage is given to the non-servers, though,” shared Raymund Magdaluyo of the Red Crab Group and the SumoSam Group of Restaurants.

Service charge as tips

Some restaurants and service establishments automatically include a five to ten percent service charge on their bills based on their discretion. Its distribution, however, is regulated by law.

The Republic Act 11360 or the Service Charge Law was enacted on August 7, 2019, and defines service charge as “the amount added to the bill for work or service rendered when one dines in a restaurant or checks out of a hotel.” This law also provides for the full and equal distribution of the service charge among workers of hotels, restaurants, and other establishments. However, managers and supervisors are not entitled to service charges.

The revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) contained in the Labor Department Order 242, issued on February 1, 2024, specify the full and equal payment of service charges to all covered employees of service charge-collecting establishments, improving the distribution of tips to include those not directly hired by employers such as contractual, non-regular or agency workers.

In Carmelo’s, “tips and service charges are shared equally by everyone, regardless of ranking. We are a team and as the saying goes ‘the success of one is the success of all’ and with that, everyone shares the blessings,” said Santiago. “Service charge somewhat works like a tip. It’s an extra amount they receive on top of their salaries which I feel they are also entitled to.”

Whatever the case, it is up to customers to tip, pay the bill with a service charge, or pay the bill and tip out of generosity, gratitude, and loyalty, and show sincere appreciation for the service workers’ hard work. 

How plastics worsen floods, emissions

BY CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT PHILIPPINES

Aug 1, 2024 06:15 PM

  

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Anyone can draw a line from plastics to floods. In the recipe of murky urban floodwaters, plastic products are a staple ingredient. Labo or sando bags, bottles, food containers, and sachets—you name it, you can find them bobbing along rushing floodwaters during typhoon season. 

Suffocating our drainage systems, plastic waste makes floods worse. A 2023 report commissioned by Tearfund confirms this: It found that plastic pollution increases the risk of severe and frequent flooding in poor communities. 

Not that Filipinos need any reminders. 

Drawing a line between plastics and flooding 

Many videos of the Typhoon Carina-enhanced "habagat" floods showcase the pollution problem—people wading through chest-high waters, with plastic bottles and bags floating around them. Days after the rain stopped, residents from affected areas still cleared trash off their streets. Water damage to their homes aside, residents’ health is also at risk from prolonged exposure to waste. 

Much of this plastic is thrown into canals, clogging storm drains, and sewers. Last week, when the waters rose because of the non-stop downpour, the trash rose with it.

Photos courtesy of The Climate Reality Project Philippines

Dire as the situation is, it is not new—it did not appear overnight. In fact, the issue of plastic pollution and waste disposal has long been intertwined with flood management discussions. 

No less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself expressed this when he conducted an on-ground inspection of the devastated communities, urging Filipinos to practice proper waste disposal so the installed flood pumps could work effectively. 

The connection is clear: Plastic pollution exacerbates flooding, and in turn, increases the damages floods cause. But one line many Filipinos have yet to draw from plastics to floods runs through climate change. 

Putting two and two together 

In every step of their production and its eventual disposal, plastic products heat the planet in various ways. 

For example, at the production stage, 99 percent of plastic products are made from petrochemicals. These are derived from fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. To process these materials, more fossil fuels are consumed, which then adds to the already alarming amount of greenhouse gases across the planet. 

Greenhouse gases, in turn, accumulate to trap heat in the atmosphere by absorbing and reradiating heat from the sun. This then leads to what the world now experiences as global warming. 

Climate change is linked to extreme weather events like prolonged heat waves and super typhoons. The hotter the planet becomes, the stronger typhoons it produces. As typhoons get stronger, floodwaters grow higher—to the detriment of climate—vulnerable nations like the Philippines. 

What at first might be largely attributed to pollution, worsening floods can also be traced back to plastic production and consumption.

The line that connects the two does seem blurry, long, and complex, but it is there. This line grows more apparent when considering that plastic production is estimated to be responsible for 3.3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. 

For comparison, the world emits around 54.6 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually; 1.8 billion of which is attributed to plastic production. A ton is equal to 1,000 kilograms, which then means that the plastic industry produces 1,800,000,000 kilograms worth of greenhouse gases. 

With that much contribution to global warming, and in turn, to stronger typhoons and worse floods—is the line clearer now? 

Seeing the big picture 

The plastic industry is making floods worse two-fold: through pollution and its staggering greenhouse gases. It makes sense then that flood management solutions adopt a systemic approach to the problem. 

Right now, two proposed bills exist in the Senate, both of which aim to tackle the plastic crisis through taxation. The goal is to deter consumers from buying single-use plastics by raising prices. 

Recently, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority suggested waste incineration as another possible solution—a proposal that Climate Reality Philippines vehemently opposes. Incineration is a counterproductive approach to plastic waste management. Providing a seemingly easy solution, this proposal may inadvertently incentivize increased plastic production. 

In terms of addressing the issue of pollution and flood control, these proposals are not enough. The plastic problem is deeply rooted in overproduction and consumption, far surpassing the realm of individual responsibility.

The real solution now lies in connecting the dots and retracing the lines. To solve the country’s plastic issue, policymakers need to step back and look at the big picture—determine the root cause of the crisis and start there. 

Beyond holding consumers accountable, officials should get huge plastic-producing companies to take responsibility. And more than promoting proper waste disposal, authorities should implement bolder moves to combat the impacts of plastics on our environment, with a focus on eliminating single-use plastics.

About the author: Red Carao has worked in the communications field for more than five years. Starting out as a writer for local and foreign digital agencies, she eventually developed an interest in public relations and development work. In her first stint as a public relations officer, she had the opportunity to work with institutions such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, and the European Union. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2018. She is currently a Communications Officer at The Climate Reality Project Philippines.

Reminder: Two holidays this August

BY ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS

Aug 1, 2024 07:50 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Based on Proclamation No. 368 that Malacañang issued in October last year, the two holidays this month are: August 21 (Wednesday) Ninoy Aquino Day, and August 26 (Monday) National Heroes Day.

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Two holidays, including one long weekend, await Filipinos this month of August.

File photos

Based on Proclamation No. 368 that Malacañang issued in October last year, the two holidays for August are:

• August 21 (Wednesday): Ninoy Aquino Day
• August 26 (Monday): National Heroes Day

Early this year, President Marcos reminded the public to make advance preparations and take advantage of the long weekends in 2024. "Lubusin natin ang mga long weekend ngayong 2024 kasama ang ating pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay (Let’s take advantage of the long weekends this 2024 with our families and loved ones)!” he said.

“Paghandaan din nating mabuti ang ating mga transaksyon at bakasyon para sa isang produktibo at masaganang taon (Let us also prepare for our transactions and vacations for a productive and prosperous year),” he added.

Ninoy Aquino Day, which falls on a Wednesday this year, is a special nonworking day under Republic Act (RA) No. 9256. It commemorates the assassination of former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in 1983.

Meanwhile, National Heroes Day, one of the country's oldest public holidays, is celebrated every last Monday of August, making it a long weekend. The celebration started during the American Colonial Period and became a holiday through RA No. 3827 on Oct. 28, 1931. 

Initially, the law declared the last Sunday of August of every year an official national holiday until the late President Jose P. Laurel moved it to Nov. 30 through Executive Order No. 20 signed in 1942.

In 1952, the late President Elpidio Quirino reverted the date of National Heroes Day to the last Sunday of August until former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law RA 9492, which moved the holiday to the last Monday of the said month.

Das Boat

Traditional balangay sails
from Butuan to Manila

BY YVETTE TAN

Jul 31, 2024 05:58 PM

  

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Many pre-colonial Philippine cultures were maritime voyagers, some using their boats to trade with nearby countries. Unfortunately, this once vibrant seafaring tradition has all but died out. 

Fortunately, an organization of adventurers has been working to keep these traditions going. Its latest project: building a balangay and setting sail from Butuan to Manila, with the main purpose of making a peaceful visit to the Spratlys.

Last May 27, the Florentino Das started its maiden voyage, leaving Butuan, where it was constructed, and arriving at the CCP area in Manila on June 11, a day before Independence Day. 

Das Boat

What made that voyage special was that the Florentino Das isn’t just any ordinary vessel. It's a balangay, a wooden boat that was used for trading in the pre-colonial era.

“We have a proud maritime heritage. Our ancestors have been sailing our archipelagic waters since the dawn of history. The Austronesian migration out of mainland Asia across the Pacific to Madagascar in the West and to Easter Island in the East is a testament to our innate ability as a people of the ocean. That the Kingdom of Butuan was able to send trade missions to the Song Dynasty as early as 1003AD using boats like the balangay is proof of our forefathers’ ship-building skills and mastery of the seas,” said Fung Yu, the project’s media coordinator and part of the land support team.

This balangay, the sixth of its kind, was built using traditional materials and methods and indigenous hardwoods donated by the DENR, though it does have an engine, making it a hybrid. 

It was named after Florentino Das, the first Filipino to sail the Pacific solo. 

The building and the voyage event was organized by the Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation, the group behind the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition and the Voyage of the Balangay Project, the latter involving the building and sailing of balangays as a way to keep pre-colonial maritime cultures and traditions from going extinct.

“The majority of the crew are from our previous expeditions, that of the first balangay project that sailed around Southeast Asia in 2009-2011, then the second balangay project (2017-2018) that sailed to China and HK for the 600th anniversary of Sultan Paduka Batara’s historic trade mission to the Ming Emperor of 1417. The boat builders were once again the Sama Dilaya group from the island of Sibutu in Tawi-Tawi, our southern province where traditional boat building is still being handed down from generation to generation, but sadly, this intangible cultural heritage is slowly vanishing.”

The crew in front of the balangay Florention Das in San Vicente, Palawan after visiting Pag-asa (Thitu) Island. (Photo from Fung Yu’s Facebook account)

Dubbed “The Balangay Expedition to West Philippine Sea,” the crew consisted of Art Valdez, the expedition leader and former DOTC/DENR undersecretary; expedition coordinator Jody Navarra, Fred Jamili, skippers Cesario Cornejo and Raf Carolino, Fil-Canadian adventurer and mountaineer Ramon Ruiz, expedition doctor Ted Esguerra, Wendell Tamayo, chief engineer Jeffrey Zaragosa, Dhandy Paiton, Edward Valdez, Ernie Oquendo, Gaude Gaylon, Richard Mark Yamba, Meljun Villacura, Jade Castillo, Sama boat builder Al-nadzmie Abdulla, and ABS-CBN embedded media crew Job Manahan and and cameraman Manny Bongcayao.

The balangay was built in Butuan, Agusan del Norte, near the mouth of the Agusan River, to commemorate the three balangays that were accidentally excavated in 1976. They were carbon-dated to the late ninth to 11th century AD. “...To put that into context, that is an average of at least over 600 years before the arrival of the Magellan Expedition in 1521,” Yu said. “So, it was only fitting that the boats were constructed in Butuan, to give pride and homage to the place of their discovery.”

Construction began in the first quarter of 2024. The keel, or the boat’s backbone, was laid in the middle of pouring rain and it took about 100 days for six master builders led by Master Boat Builder Ibrahim Abdulla from Sibutu to complete.

Although one always hopes for smooth sailing, the crew was well aware of possible difficulties that can be encountered on such a voyage. 

“There is always the fear of bad weather and shifting sea conditions, plus the worries that the boat may encounter challenges from the contested claimant nations, particularly China and its coast guard ships and maritime militia. Fortunately, no untoward incidents happened, both balangay and crew safely returned after the conclusion of the mission,” Yu said.

“The boat sailed out of Butuan without any sea trial ([the crew were] confident in the skills of the boat builders themselves) to avoid any sudden change of sea conditions that could hamper its voyage as well as the safety of the crew. From Butuan, the balangay boat made a short port call in Dumaguete, then in San Vicente, Palawan for an overnight rest and re-provisioning before heading to its intended purpose, a humanitarian-medical mission to Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys Group,” Yu said.

After arriving at the Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys, the team conducted a tree planting activity and participated in, as Yu wrote in a Facebook post, “ a humanitarian/medical mission for the residents as well as to assert for the maritime rights in the WPS (West Philippine Sea).”

When asked what he wanted more Filipinos to understand about the voyage, Yu replied: “The current disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea in general belong to the common heritage of mankind, a traditional fishing ground of all claimant countries, and therefore must be protected, sans bullying, intimidation, force, and military actions. It must be resolved peacefully, objectively, and fairly, for the sake of our children, and our children’s children.”

 

G-Force's Teacher Georcelle: Dance is beneficial

BY ROBERT REQUINTINA

Aug 1, 2024 00:45 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Georcelle also said G-Force is set to introduce swing dance among the current generation of dancers.

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G-Force Artistic Director Georcelle Dapat-Sy  (Instagam)

G-Force Artistic Director Georcelle Dapat-Sy is on cloud nine following the success of the G-Force Dance Project 2024, which was held at The Theater Solaire in Paranaque City on July 28.

After two sold-out recitals on July 7 and 28, Georcelle announced that G-Force would be embarking on a tour in Canada and the Middle East, marking their global expansion.

"We've been touring the Philippines. This August, pupunta naman ang G-Force sa Canada. What's great about this tour is the Filipino touch. Whenever Filipinos see G-Force, they feel like they're home," Teacher Georcelle said.

She added: "Ang dami kong gustong mangyari. So we had a one-month brainstorming meeting. And we are going global. We will be in the Middle East in November."

Georcelle also said G-Force is set to introduce swing dance among the current generation of dancers.

"Nag-swing ang Gen Z (kanina sa stage). This is us introducing the movements from before. Bakit hindi natin ituro sa kanila at bigyan nila ng bagong interpretation? I recently reconnected with my first mentor, Eric Edralin. I started in this business at an early age.

Teacher Georcelle with Johnny Manahan, also known as Mr M

"Then, I started professionally at the Sharon Cuneta Show when I was 14 years old, and I reconnected with Eric Edralin. He is the choreographer of Sharon and The Penthouse Live! Pops Fernandez and Sharon Cuneta. I'm just excited that this is all happening," she said.

Georcelle stated that G-Force is renowned for training celebrities who want to learn how to dance.

"With the competitions and what we're doing, they see G-Force in TV shows and social media, so they see G-Force as trainers of celebrities.

"For you to be trained by the trainers of Kathryn Bernardo, they also want to be taught the same way kung paano tinuruan ang kanilang mga idols. Sabi nga ng ating special guest Ling Zhang sa aking mga students, lahat sila are superstars," she said.

When G-Force began 19 years ago, the letter G in G-Force only meant Georcelle. However, it has since evolved with different meanings for the letter G in G-Force. 

"G was for Georcelle when we started. But now, it's a global force. And now, with Gen Zs, it has become an operational force. Throughout the years, nag-iiba na ang meaning ng letter G."

G-Force at ASAP 2024

Georcelle also encouraged everyone to dance which she said is very beneficial.

"Kaya love ko ang TikTok, hindi siya intimidating. It's so inviting. My advice is not to be intimidated. Through TikTok, marami ang nag embrace ng dance. There's dancing for all, and there's also a dance studio where you can learn how to dance.

"So, if your goal in dancing is to lose weight, then dance. If your goal is to be happy, then dance. If you want to become a professional dancer, do it seriously.

"Dance is very beneficial. Papasayahin ka and it's very healthy kasi gagalaw ka. And you will meet a lot of friends," Georcelle said.

Let’s eat for the Filipino farmers

Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival is a small step, a big move toward uplifting the conditions of the farming community

BY AA PATAWARAN

  

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Among the highlights of the just-concluded Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival was dinner at Fatted Calf Tagaytay, a farm-to-table restaurant down a steep slope of hill across the ridge. It is, after all, along with her co-chef and husband Jayjay Sycip, run by pastry chef Rhea Sycip, who chaired the group of chefs who came up with the idea of holding the two-week-long festival, the first ever, to highlight Tagaytay’s growing reputation as a gastronomic hotspot and not just for the famed, always comforting bulalo. 

ALL FOR FARMERS Senator Loren Legarda  (second from left) with chefs Rhea Sycip, Noah Go, Jeramie Go, and Jayjay Sycip

I was very honored to have been one of the few names on Senator Loren Legarda’s guest list to this hotticket weekend event called “Harvest Dinner,” a list of a few people she called “an intimate bunch.” 

Rhea Sycip, Jeramie Go, Senator Loren Legarda, Babette Aquino, and Pepper Teehankee

Senator Legarda calls the Fatted Calf her “second home.” The restaurant, with a big lanai that juts out over the garden, sits on what used to be a lush forested plot of land, which belonged to her grandmother. She offered the land to house the restaurant of Jayjay and Rhea when she discovered that they shared with her the same passion for uplifting the conditions of farmers and other food producers by cultivating and nurturing fair trade with them and making something wonderful out of their produce. “My only condition,” said the senator, “was for Jay and Rhea to make room for my paintings.” She did these paintings when she was young, as young as 15, and now, through the Fatted Calf, they have pride of place, accessible to the dining public. 

BUFFALO PANEER in coconut curry broth with Bahay Kubo vegetables and kale chips

The Harvest Dinner was a superb product of this partnership between the senator and the chefs in behalf of the Filipino farmer, whom the three of them champion. The Fatted Calf collaborated as well with Davao chef Jeramie Go of Pilgrim Davao, who flew his son and sous chef Noah Go in with him for the Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival. 

The menu was a “Harvest Dinner” exclusive, each item on which, beginning with the buffalo paneer in coconut curry broth with Bahay Kubo vegetables, including kale chips, was a celebration of the handiwork, whether dairy, livestock, crop, fruit, or vegetable, of farmers across the Philippines, from General Trias in Cavite and the Cordilleras to BuDa on the border between Davao and Bukidnon. 

ARROZ MELOSO With Chong-Ak rice, kiniing, Bu-o mushroom, sorrel

Served after the paneer, which was paired with sauvignon blanc from Vina Casablanca Cefiro from Casablanca Valley in Chile, was a dish of Benguet cherry tomatoes, donburi caramelized onions, pan de sal croutons, and Kaluga Queen caviar with kesong puti foam and tomato powder. It came with a Pinot Noir-ish sparkling wine from the Taltarni T Series from South Australia. 

Next, along with a dry, fruity, and spicy white wine from Almansa, Spain, the Piqueras White Label 2022, was stuffed rabbit with spinach, white beech mushrooms, onions, potato fondant dressed in Dijon cream and flavored with sakurab or sibujing, derived from a relative of scallion or a variant of wild leek and used extensively and traditionally as seasoning in Mindanao and the Visayas. What followed was a Ranger Valley Black Tyde ribeye, along with Arroz Meloso, featuring Chong-Ak rice, the “Cordillera paella,” a slow-growing rice variety from Kalinga, with sorrel and Bu-o mushroom, an Earthball type of mushroom abundant, especially after a lightning storm, in the Cordilleras, where it is often dubiously and inaccurately, if not even opportunistically, called the “Cordilleran truffle.” A temperanillo accompanied this meat dish, Bodegas Faustino Crianza from Rioja. 

PAN DE SAL Benguet Cherry Tomatoes in kesong puti foam with donburi caramelized onions, pan de sal crouton, tomato powder, and Kaluga Queen caviar

A peach melba on almond butter cake, lush with wild raspberries and white chocolate, capped off the Harvest Dinner, along with 66 percent sikwate hummus and tableya chocolate cake with pistachios, orange blossom, and extra virgin olive oil. A Californian merlot from The Path helped wash it all down. 

Senator Legarda, happy with the results of the first Tagaytay Food and Wine Festival, committed to make it an annual event on the foodie calendar. Addressing the chefs, she suggested that a similar festival be held in other regions across the Philippines so as to expand the movement championing the integral role of farmers in building a nation such as ours. 

STUFFED RABBIT on potato fondant in Dijon cream with spinach, Shiimeji mushrooms, and onions, flavored with sakurab

Just like our chefs, who are becoming bolder and bolder in their pursuit of the possibilities of Philippine cuisine, Senator Legarda is a true inspiration. Singlehandly, she has pushed the envelope of national development, taking care of perhaps the most important yet most overlooked and neglected aspect of building a great nation—culture. 

PEACH MELBA CRUMBLE and Almond Butter Cake with wild raspberries and white chocolate

From art to literature, from agriculture to infrastructure, from our languages to education, even climate change and foreign relations, Senator Legarda sees to it that the Filipino—our way of life, our heritage, our distinct identity, our general welfare—isn’t pushed down the priority list, even if often, especially before her efforts bear fruit, she feels like a lone voice crying in the wilderness.