For most Filipinos, Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa is a legend—National Artist for Architecture and the visionary behind iconic landmarks such as the Coconut Palace, the EDSA Shrine, and the San Miguel Corporation head office. But to his family, Bobby was simply a devoted father and grandfather who instilled in them a deep sense of patriotism and pride in being Filipino.

It is with this conviction that the Mañosa family continues Bobby’s work through the Tukod Foundation, led today by his granddaughters Isabella and Natasha Tanjutco. Isabella serves as president, with Natasha as executive director. Under their leadership, the foundation launched its inaugural fundraiser, Tanaw. Meaning “vision,” Tanaw is Tukod Foundation’s annual silent auction and supper club designed to support placemaking initiatives such as cultural schools, creative libraries, and vernacular playgrounds—programs that expand access to design education, creative industries, and culture-based livelihoods. The initiative aims to redefine how creative and educational solutions are built around climate realities and the diverse communities of the archipelago.

For its first edition, the silent auction features archival Bobi Toys–inspired sculptures from Mañosa’s personal collection, alongside a special supper club in collaboration with Toyo Eatery. Funds raised will support Bayay Halian, a climate-resilient school, creative space, and community kitchen on Halian Island—an effort focused on reviving island traditions and delivering culture-based climate education to young people in Siargao, a region devastated by Typhoon Odette in 2021.

In an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Bobby’s widow, Denise Mañosa, shared the little-known story behind the works up for auction. Before becoming celebrated as the "Father of Neo-Vernacular Filipino Architecture," Bobby crafted and sold eco-friendly children’s toys under the family business Bobi Toys in San Juan City.

“When my daughter was about to celebrate her first birthday in 1969, we realized there were no tables and chairs for children available to rent. So he made them,” she recalled. “Eventually, we put up a store and later added toys. Not many know how child-friendly he was—children naturally gravitated toward him. He believed deeply in play.”

For the auction, the family has released five designs, including the Tipaklong (Grasshopper), Seesaw, and Bobi Horse. This marks the first-ever public sale of these rare, large-scale sculptures—one-off, signed pieces rooted in the design DNA of Bobi Toys, which earned both local and international acclaim in the 1970s. The Design Center of the Philippines awarded Bobi Toys its Good Design Award, recognizing the line’s cultural significance and its role in uplifting Filipino design.

Meanwhile, Natasha Tanjutco shared that Bayay Halian will directly benefit students on Halian Island, a small, remote community situated between Dinagat and Siargao. The school’s architectural design is intended to withstand various weather challenges in the years to come.

“There are about 350 students who will benefit from the pilot school,” she explained. “But beyond that, we envision the island becoming a hub where youth from neighboring islands can gather here in this school, creative space, and community kitchen.”

Bayay Halian aims to become a pioneering model for climate-centric school design, proving that thoughtfully designed spaces for future generations of Filipinos are not only possible, but essential.