Have you seen his café on wheels around Manila?

In some ways, the pandemic has brought out the best in ourselves. Not that we need a crisis now and then just to discover the creative and leader among us, but it sure adds drama that helps push us to rise above the challenges. In Carl Johannes Gamboa's case, his passion for coffee took him to the streets of Manila, selling brewed cups with his mobile coffee business.

The third year college student and his partner Hanna Sophia Febrer launched their coffee business PadyaKape earlier this month. Inspired by a Davao-based barista that serves coffee with his motorcycle, these young entrepreneurs set their makeshift mobile coffee bar, made of a bike and an old piano stand, and started brewing. They first offered their products to their neighbors, but with the Quirino Grandstand filled with individuals exercising and always up for a caffeine fix any time of the day, it just makes sense for them to sell in that area.

"Ang nagtulak sa amin upang ituloy ang PadyaKape ay ang kagustuhan naming makatulog sa aming pamilya ngayong panahon ng pandemiya, sa paraan na makapag-provide po kami para sa sarili naming pangangailangan para sa iskuwela. (What pushed us to do PadyaKape is our need to help our family during the pandemic by means of providing for ourselves for school needs)," Carl tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle.

When it comes to coffee, Carl prefers a cup with a milder, delicate taste. But in order to serve Filipino coffee lovers, he broadened his knowledge on coffee and the brewing process through research and watching Youtube videos. The drinks they sell are made of local coffee beans harvested from Cordillera, as they also want to help local farmers. A cup of regular brewed coffee costs P25 while their cafe au lait is priced at P35.

"Noong una pong beses na nakapagtinda kami sa Quirino Grandstand ay hindi po namin inaasahan na dadagsa po ang mga tao sa maliit na kapehan (We didn't expect the number of people we served with our small coffee business the first time we sell at Quirino Grandstand)," he says. "Sa tingin po namin ay natuwa naman ang mga tao sa aming mga sineserve na kape dahil po sa simpleng paraan na gamit namin tulad ng French Press (We think people liked our coffee due to our simple way of doing them like using the French Press)."

"Kami po ay masaya at mas lalong nagkainspirasyon na pag-igihan ang aming maliit na gawain dahil po sa mga mabubuting tao na sumusuporta sa aming pangarap na makatulong sa aming pamilya. (We are happy and more inspired to do our best with our small business because of the people who support us in our goal to help our family)," he ends.

PadyaKape can be seen on Quirino Grandstand, infront of the Manila Hotel, on Saturdays and Sundays, from 5 to 9 a.m. Be sure to check its Facebook page for updates.