Have you had pink lugaw (rice porridge), pink pandesal (Filipino bread), pink puto (steamed rice cake), pink egg, and the famed Ilocos empanada in pink?
You may want to drop by one of the feeding initiatives launched by presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo’s volunteers in support of her presidential candidacy in 2022.
Her volunteers have colored the food they serve to their fellowmen in pink. One of Robredo’s volunteers showed that they colored the rice porridge with mashed beetroot to turn it into color pink, saying that their porridge is sure to be healthy.
The Dapat Si Leni! volunteers in Ilocos Sur, the bailiwick of the Marcos family and neighbors the Marcoses’ home province of Ilocos Norte, has launched the Pink Empanada for Leni “to provide additional livelihood to residents.”
This is a “way to introduce Robredo to the community and to support the empanada vendors whose income streams became hampered because of the pandemic,” the group said.
Katrina Aguila, one of the group’s convenors, said that the team collaborated with a vendor, Emma of Emma's Empanada and Okoy, whose shop is known in Vigan as one of the best.
Initially, Dapat si Leni! Ilocos Sur bought pink empanadas and offered them as a free merienda and conversation starter in the plaza.
But after the initiative went viral, Ilokano volunteers were bashed and the store owner received multiple threats from some supporters of Robredo’s rival, saying they will burn her shop despite the fact that Emma is not supporting the Vice President.
“Iyong engagement natin with Auntie Emma, hindi siya sapilitan. Hindi kailangang Leni supporter ang partner natin, kasi sabi ni VP kausapin pa ang mga hindi natin kakampi. Hindi requirement na Leni voter, ang kailangan lang magaling magluto (Our engagement with Auntie Emma is not forced. Our partner doesn’t need to be a Leni supporter because as what VP said, let’s talk with our rivals. Being a Leni voter is not a requirement, you just have to be a good cook),” Aguila said.
But the bashing that the initiative received did not stop the volunteers from pushing through with their program.
Aguila said Ilokano supporters here and abroad donated to buy more pink empanadas so the bullied vendor can have more income, and so that the initiative can reach more communities.
“Itong experience namin (Our experience) with bashing, nakakatakot talaga siya (It’s really scary). But the result was that many decided they cannot be quiet supporters anymore. Nakatulong iyong threats sa atin para mas maging matapang ang mga Ilokano supporters at mag all-out na (The threats helped for the Ilokano supporters to be more courageous and to go all-out),” she shared.
“Malakas ang kalaban dito, given na iyon, pero (The enemy here is very strong, that’s already a given, but) the negative reactions of his supporters gave us the courage to be out and proud in campaigning for VP Leni,” she said.
On Nov. 20, the team raised enough money to bring more than 300 pink empanadas to healthcare workers, tricycle drivers, market vendors, garbage collectors, and other vulnerable communities.
Some of the areas covered were Metro Vigan Cooperative Hospital, Rural Health Unit of Bantay, Ilocos Sur, Northside Doctors Hospital, and Vigan Public Market, among others.
“We follow VP Leni's lead in treating our fellow Ilokanos with respect and dignity. We help the vulnerable and those who need support, regardless if they are our allies or not,” Aguila said.