Manila Bulletin employee’s fast food toy collection sets Guinness world record
A Manila Bulletin employee has landed on the pages of the prestigious Guinness World Records by setting the record for the largest collection of fast food restaurant toys.
Percival Lugue, graphic artist of the Classified Ads Department and MB Funpage’s “Amazing Grace” comic strip cartoonist, amassed 10,000 toy items as verified and confirmed by Guinness World Record adjudicators last Nov. 4.
“It’s the ultimate gratification to what is perceived to be a crazy hobby,” Lugue, 43, said in an interview. “Having Guinness to acknowledge that there’s some sense to this collecting hobby brings joy to a collector like me.”
The record-setter received the good news Sunday night through a confirmation email from Guinness World Records Ltd. Records Manager Lisa Hoffman.
“I was so ecstatic! I was prancing like there’s no tomorrow,” a thrilled Lugue said. “Just the fact that I
was able to spearhead the GWR category and was recognized for it is something really big for me.”
Lugue, who hails from Apalit, Pampanga, started his world-setting collection in 1987, while he was still in college. “It all began when fast food restaurants started mushrooming [in my province],” Lugue said.
A complete Popeye action figure set — consisting of Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto, Swee’Pea, and Wimpy — from Jollibee was his first collectible ever, followed by 101 Dalmatians from McDonald’s.
The other toys came free with kiddie meals from Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Shakey’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Mister Donut, and 7-11, among others.
As of this writing, Lugue’s collection totals 10,904 which amounts to roughly
500,000. His McDonald’s collectibles is the largest at 5,947. He arrived at the number by religiously purchasing the toys himself, or through his friends who travel abroad, and via the online shopping website eBay.
“I really set aside money to buy the toys whenever new collectibles came out,” he said.
To preserve his toys, he meticulously organized and kept them in cabinets.
“I have innumerable cabinets at home,” he said. “Actually, I have ingenious ways of displaying the collection… would you believe I even use the kitchen sink to showcase some items.”
Among his vast collection, “Percy,” a pug from the Disney movie “Pocahontas,” a freebie from McDonald’s Happy Meal, is his favorite, being his namesake.
A collectible of “Bert” perfectly represents him as a collector, according to him, as the popular “Sesame Street” character is known for being a staunch collector of inane things.
“You remember him collecting bottle caps, paper clips… [things that] seemed trivial to other people but are regarded with great value by him,” Lugue said.
Asked why he chose to collect fast food toys over other items, he said: “I think this is a better collection because you can easily access toys and you do not spend too much on them.”
In the Philippines today, one McDonald’s Happy Meal costs 80 on the average — that already includes the food and drink, and a free toy.
Lugue started to catalogue and take photographs of his collection, and applied for the world record in 2012. His collection can be accessed via http://percysfastfoodtoys.blogspot.com/.
As he was awaiting word from Guinness, Lugue had an abode built in Barangay San Juan in his hometown to house his expanding collection which his friends have named the giant “Happy Meal Box,” as it depicts the popular cardboard container.
“It wasn’t my intention to have it designed that way. It just turned out resembling a Happy Meal box. I couldn’t think of a more apt structure for the collection since most of my toys are from McDonald’s Happy Meal,” Lugue said. He plans to open the house to the public soon.
Lugue’s collection had been featured in Manila Bulletin’s Lifestyle section, Fudge Magazine, and GMA Channel 7’s now-defunct magazine talk show “Mel & Joey.”
For aspiring collectors who would like to take a shot at a Guinness record like him, Lugue has this advice: “You really have to figure out what you’re passionate about. You don’t start a collection because it’s the ‘in’ thing or a fad. If you do, you might end up with a pile of garbage and a lot of wasted money when the fad fizzles out. But if you’re really into a particular collection and you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing, you know that in the long run, it’s money well-spent.”