AT THE heart of every Filipino morning, the humble pan de sal stands as a beloved symbol of tradition and warmth. This unique bread, known for its affordability and heartiness, has long been a staple on breakfast tables across the country. To celebrate its goodness, the Kamuning Bakery Café, the oldest bakery in Quezon City, celebrated its annual “World Pan de sal Day” on Oct. 16.

“We want to celebrate the goodness, uniqueness of Filipino pan de sal. Pan de sal in the Philippines is unique. There is no pan de sal… anywhere else. It is a uniquely Filipino bread,” Wilson Lee Flores, owner of Kamuning Bakery Café said in an interview.

“We give out free breads, cheese, hams, fruit jams, and other gifts to celebrate World Pan de sal Day.”

Over the 10 years it has been celebrating the occasion, the 85-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café has distributed 100,000 free pan de sal and other food items among poor families, orphanages, and various sectors in need.

It has also given packs of pan de sal as gifts to all teachers, students, and guests at Sinait Integrated School in the remote rural barangay of Sinait in Tarlac City, Tarlac province. Kamuning Bakery Café made the donation to the public school in partnership with the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

Meanwhile, several political figures expressed their support for World Pan de sal Day, including Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Senator Imee Marcos, who led the bakery’s event to support the Filipino pan de sal and address the issue of hunger in the country. World Pan de sal Day coincided with the United Nations’ World Food Day.

“It’s a very significant day; indeed, man does not live on rice alone, but also on bread,” Ms. Marcos said in her opening statement during the World Pan de sal Day forum, highlighting the role of bread in addressing hunger.

Mr. Flores told BusinessWorld that the Kamuning Bakery Café will continue to mark the annual World Pan de sal Day as part of its commitment to establishing pan de sal as the Philippines’ flagship bread, similar to how France rallies around their baguette.

The bakery will also continue baking other beloved Filipino breads and pastries. However, Mr. Flores emphasized that nothing could compare to their classic and original “not sweet pan de sal,” setting it apart from the sweeter varieties found in many other bakeries. — Edg Adrian Eva