WEDDING
Jay Laurel and Kyla Olives tie the knot in the cool climes of Baguio; Iñigo Taojo and Mika Magat exchange wedding vows in a festive celebration
The coronavirus outbreak has impacted the economy on many fronts, specifically the food and beverage industry. Its ripples were already felt weeks before the lockdown was implemented on Metro Manila: lower booking numbers in hotels and resorts, less foot traffic in malls, and fewer reservations at restaurants. Worry was already prevalent among restaurateurs, and by the time the virus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12 and the Metro Manila lockdown fully implemented three days later, it was clear that this was going to be a difficult hurdle for restaurants to surpass.
At first, many restaurants naturally turned to, at a minimized scale, in the hopes of keeping business afloat. Announcements of takeout and delivery options were blasted on social media by many establishments. This didn’t last long. On March 16, all major mall groups in the country closed down, hampering the already skeletal operations of most restaurants. Add to this the curfew ordinances of cities, public transportation suspensions, and the Luzonwide quarantine—most restaurants had fully suspended their operations by the second half of March.
The first few weeks of community quarantine was filled with uncertainty and anxiety for business owners. But as each day passed, and with a national call for aid from the
private sector by the president, it was clear that the duty to help was more important than the financial threat. And so, restaurateurs, chefs, and larger food service conglomerates banded together to use their craft for a greater cause.
Donation drives such as the COVID-19 Food Drive PH partners with many notable restaurants such as Lampara to feed barangays that are unable to afford groceries during the lockdown. The initiative has raised funds to feed over 50,000 families to impoverished communities around the metro. Another initiative is Frontline Feeders PH, a network of restaurants and restaurant groups that make sure workers in hospitals and clinics in and around the metro are fed and supplied with proper meals. Part of this network is Sarsa Kitchen by Chef JP Anglo as well as The Moment Group, home to favorites such as Ooma and Manam, with its Project Nourish to help feed medical workers, front liners, and even coronavirus patients. Marugame Udon and Paul Boulangerie, food brands under Bench, have donated meals to multiple hospitals.
Even fast-food giants such as Jollibee have answered the call to help by donating ₱100 million worth of food for medical workers. McDonald’s Philippines, through the McDo Kindness Kitchen Program, pledged 50,000 meals for health workers, front liners, and local communities. This shows that despite the losses and high risk, humanity can rise with a common goal. Everyone is joining in, not only large companies that have the resources to do so, but also micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have found ways to contribute to the plight within their means.