Historical Kamuning Bakery : President Corazon Aquino among its customers

43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1 street, Kamuning , Quezon City -Philippines

facade of the bakery with wheat logo

We usually passed along Judge Jimenez street whenever we went to Fairview and whenever i go to Tomas Morato street in Quezon City . We used to order a couple of bread and sometimes we would also crave for their egg pies , cheese cakes, yema rolls and Pan de Rizal. The bakery had around 300 kinds of bread, cakes, pastries .

interior of the bakery

There is an air- conditioned portion where the bakery can accommodate up to 30 people at any given time. 

family photo taken during the 1950’s with a delivery trunk

History :
Kamuning Bakery was founded around November 1939 a few months after the birth of Quezon City. The community bakery had witness almost all facet of the city.
The bakery is likewise intimately connected with the founding and growth of the city named after President Manuel L. Quezon.

Pan de Rizal

One of the family old-time recipe was the Pan de Rizal a small round shaped bread which was a luxury during  the time of Rizal. According to the descendants , It was Rizal’s favorite bread, it was the one given to him by his sister when he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago. The bread was baked by their great- grandmother .  The bread is common in almost every neighborhood bakeries and was called by many names. The shelf -life is longer than the ordinary bread and can last between 5 to 7 days without any refrigeration .

Kamuning shrub with white flowers

The area used to be planted with a lot of Kamuning shrubs ( Murraya paniculata) which are commonly found in within the locality hence the name. is used both in traditional medicine as an analgesic and for wood (for tool handles).

In the West, Murraya paniculata is cultured as an ornamental tree or hedge because of its hardiness, wide range of soil tolerance.

blueberry cheesecake

We have ordered some of their home-made cakes and , this is is quite cheap at Php 65.00 per slice ! It is moist and by the time we wanted to order for take-out , it was gone !

The original owners of the bakery were Mr. Marcelo and Ms. Leticia Bonifacio, who at the time were already operating a successful bakeshop in Manila called Los Baños Bakery. The family are descendants of Lucia-Rizal-Herbosa – sister of Dr. Jose P. Rizal . 

Kamuning bakery has been pugon-baking  traditional pan de-suelo from the old family recipe of founder’s fore-bearers. Traditional old-fashioned baking with 75-year-old pugon or wood-fire brick .

  Biscocho -one of the bakery’s best sellers

This second bakery was one of the first structures in Kamuning, along with a barber shop, grocery, schools and a church. The bakery is pretty advance during their date, While most of the bakeries and business establishments only used ordinary lettering as their business logo, Kamuning Bakery used wheat as its logo to symbolized its primary ingredient in their breads.

cheesecake

Japanese Occupation

Operations were rudely interrupted during the Japanese Occupation of the 1940s. Imported flour was expensive and difficult to find. In February 1945 came the Battle of Manila, with the capital city bombed by the Americans and sacked by the Japanese. The southern districts of Intramuros, Ermita and Malate went up in flames. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed, among them Leticia’s father, Miguel Bonifacio, and her husband Marcelo Javier. Some of the ingredients were very hard find , some had to be substituted with other locally available ingredients.

pan de suelo

Pan de Suelo is comparable to French baguette with their crunchy texture on the outside and soft in the inside, It is perfect combination to any  pork and bean , sausages , ham or any leftover adobo or asado . It is also best for coffee or chocolate. The bakery plans to serve coffee which came from coffee plantations and farmers cooperative .

cookies with glazed fruits -Php 30.00 per pack

Widowed, Leticia, who was actually a lawyer, continued to run the business with her uncle Ambrosio Ison. Her bakers remained loyal to her. Helping out was Leticia’s 5-year-old son, Teddy Javier, who would sell pan de sal to customers, three pieces of which then cost five centavos.

pan de sal

It used to be a sleepy neighborhood with very few residents up until the late 1950’s when people began to settle the place. It was in the early 1980’s when two ( 2) television stations which are located near the bakery and its stars began patronizing the bakery.

egg pies

Mr. Teddy grew attached to the business, all the way to adolescence, college life, adulthood and employment as an ABS-CBN salesman. Eventually he resigned and took over management of the bakery. Business picked up when they were able to deliver bread to New Frontier, South Supermarket and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in Manila.

celebrities and famous personalities are hung in a portion of a wall

Celebrities and Presidents :

One of the bakery’s bestsellers is the Pan de Suelo, a favorite of President Corazon Aquino. “This kind of bread requires a special skill to bake,” . “It is cooked on the oven’s floor and the heat is circulated equally to ensure it is cooked perfectly.” Their bread is baked in a wood-fired oven, which gives the products a distinct flavor. Not all wood can be use baking breads , One of the best woods are from mangrove trees , hardwood varieties like narra, kamagong and yakal .

Mr. Wilson Lee-Flores

According to the present owner , Real estate and columnist  Mr. Wilson Lee- Flores accounts” Culinary Heritage Advocate ” Dr. Doreen Gamboa Fernandez wrote a lengthy article about the historical pastries and products that the bakeshop offers.

President Manuel L. Quezon would also visit the bakeshop when he would come to the city.
Celebrities like Ms. Coney Reyes, Mr. Richard Gomez , Mr. Rogelio dela Rosa , Mr. Aga Muhlach , Mr. Mikael Daez ,Ms. Jessica Soho , Ms. Gloria Romero, Felice Prudente Santa Maria , Mr. Butch Dalisay, Ms. Julie Yap-Daza, Don Alejandro Roces, Nick Joaquin among others……….

group photo with freelance writers and bloggers

The host is very engaging and there are plans to have a small restaurant within the premises which will serve pasta, coffee and hot chocolates.  When our group asked Mr. Wilson Lee -Flores on what type of bread can best described him, He said ” Pan de Suelo ” tough outside but soft inside ! 

Reference: Palayok : Philippine Food Through Time : On Site , In the Pot

Address: No. 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Kamuning, Quezon City.

Tels: 9292216, 7945045, 09175202756, 09985544220, 09228321888, 09178481818.

Store Hours extended to 11 pm daily & to 9 pm on Sundays.

Please join their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kamuningbakery1939

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Philippines Representatives to the International Robotics Olympiad in China this November 2014

5th Floor, Oakwood Hotel , Ortigas Center, Pasig City-Philippines

electronic poster of the 16th International Robotics Olympiad to be held in Beijing , China

The 16th  International Robotics Olympiad this coming Nov. 5-9 at Shijingshan Gymnasium, Beijing, China.   It is sad to know that the parents and private individuals have to shoulder the expenses for the kids just to join the competition when they are the ones to bring prestige to our country once they win.

Mr. Anthony Y. Gabitan , Ms. Judith Tan,  Dr. James Tan , Ms. Kimberly Gamboa, Ms. Ana Isabelle Chua , Mr. Warren Ong Pe, Ms. Melanie Tizon

  We were invited to a press conference yesterday August 15, 2014 and unveiling of new line-up of Digital K12 equipments and materials that facilitate positive teaching and learning experiences. I have met Dr. James Tan -President of Grace Christian College and his wife Ms. Judith Tan . Our previous encounter was the 60th anniversary of the stamp launching of Grace Christian College few years ago.

Related article link : https://renz15.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/grace-around-the-world/

 Grace Christian College

Ms. Kimberly Gamboa is a High School 4th year student section 6 while Ms. Ana Isabelle Chua is a grade 9 section 6 student . They are the winners of Break OUT Challenge which was held at the Philippine Trade Training Center grounds in Buendia ( Senator Gil Puyat Avenue ) last January 23, 2014. The two students also represent the school in the intentional robotics olympiad .

Ms. Laila Chikadora of TV channel 5

They proudly showed their award at the last National Robotics Championship and the students were able to represent the country in the international robotics olympiad . The event was well-covered by the traditional media like Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin , TV channel 5 , ABS-CBN channel 2 and GMA channel 7

Data Science and Technology Corporation

Data Science and Techonology Corporation, one of the major sponsors that provide assistance to the Philippine student representatives.  DSTC has partnered and provided equipment to over 300 schools all over the country, trained over 2M students and 2,000 teachers, and imparted 1,001 ways of using technology for learning and living.

1.LabDisc—a laboratory that fits in the palm of your hand! It is a complete laboratory for K12 Science Experiments, with up to 14 built-in sensors, equipped with GPS technology, compact, wireless, perfect for indoor & outdoor science-related activities.

2.Digital Microscope—your modern version of Microscope, a must for all science classrooms. Connects to PC or MAC, with Camera, Video, and Time-Lapse Functions. Focus and Project for the whole class to see.

3.Robotics Program for Schools—a comprehensive Robotics Learning package for schools, complete with curriculum, robot kits, and training support.

4.Robot Kits— we carry several types and models of Robots like INEX, Pop-Bot XT, and RQ Huno Humanoid

5.K12 Computer Courseware— market-relevant computer subjects for K12

6.Multimedia Resources—instructional materials for Science, Mathematics, English and local academic subjects like Araling Panlipunan, Filipino and MAPE.

7.Mobile Planetarium—a portable and inflatable planetarium dome complete with Air-condition Unit. The dome can accommodate up to 60 students at a time, with various astronomy shows for full enjoyment of all students.

8.3D Printer—the first Philippine-made 3D Printer. Inventor is Mr. Justin Gabitan of Puzzlebox.

 Mr. Melvin Matulac

Mr. Melvin Matulac of Pinoy Robot Games Founder and Director explained to the people inside the room how they select participants to international robotics competition.  Every year there are 300 plus school teams that participates in the National Robotics Competition. The champions from these competition are the ones who will qualify to the International Robotics Olympiad.  Only a handful of students get a chance to represent the country to the Olympiad.

There are many different robotic categories  that an individual/ group of students can participate:

Sumobot:
The match is fought between two teams, each team having 2 members. Only one team member may approach the ring. In accordance with the game rules. Each team competes on a Dohyo (sumo ring) with a robot that they have constructed themselves.

Line Tracing:

The objective of Line Tracing is for your autonomous robot to complete the course in the shortest period of time while accurately tracking the line from START to FINISH.

Mission Challenge :

These are games with required accurate movements and behavior of robot. The students are tasked to develop a program and build robots with precision. Example mission is the break-out challenge.

Break-Out: A natural disaster has occurred and the mission of the robot is to find or make a path to the trapped individuals. The trapped individuals are at the cell which marked END in the map.

Humanoid Challenge:

A Humanoid Robot to behave according to the given task. One example gaming event for this category is Humanoid Prison Break. The objective of Robot Prison break is to build a robot that performs its best sensor usage by predicting the obstacles to understand a robot’s autonomous movements . This is one of the hardest challenges in the competition.

ROBO-Soccer:

This is a robot game that mimics human soccer. Participant will control humanoid robots to score more goals in opponent’s net. Understanding of humanoid’s mechanics and strategy is important and cooperation with teammates is required.

In the previous 15th IROC held in Denver Colorado last December 16-20, 2013 ,the Philippine Team brought home many awards and recognitions. , This is the first Robotics Team in the country that won GOLD Medals in a Regular Category.

2 GOLD Garcia, Nicole John – Letran Calamba and Calderon, Hans Simon – Letran Calamba

6 SILVER Aguila, John Raphael – Letran Calamba, Maningas, Sean Vince Ruel – Letran Calamba, Gener, Czareen Elen – Letran Calamba, Santiago, Sabrina – GCC, Ngo, Arvy

Daniel – GCC, Imperial, Eian david – GCC 5 BRONZE Co, Davenson – DLSZ, Ramos, Raphael Manuel – DLSZ, Dela Cruz, John Sebastian Gerald Julian -DLSZ, Co, Davenson – DLSZ, Ramos, Raphael Manuel – DLSZ 7 SPECIAL AWARDS Tan, Heart Bernice – GCC, Tan, Heidi Kristine – GCC, Uy, Jeremy Lance – GCC, Gamboa, Kimberly Klaire – GCC, Ng, Calvin Alexander GCC, Dela Cruz, John Sebastian Gerald Julian -DLSZ , Chua, Alvin Ken Steven Jr. GCC

Ms. Maria Rona Beltran is one of  the lucky winners of the on-the spot raffle

After the sumptuous late afternoon snacks, there was a mini-raffle draw for the bloggers and traditional media that were present during the event.

bloggers and freelance journalists took group photo

 On December 13th,2014 ,  the National Robotics Competition will be held at Don Bosco,  Makati City.  The Asian Robotics Competition  is schedule in the middle of 2015 will be held in Indonesia.

Note: I must “Thank” Ms. Dems Angeles for the invitation to this event.

 Address: Unit 307 Bonaventure Plaza, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills , San Juan City

Telephone # (632) 722-0549/ 661-88-86

Fax : (632) 661-88-18

 Website: http://www.dstc.com.ph/

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