I love food.

One of my all-time Filipino comfort food is Ginataang Halo Halo.

At 5, I was tasked to go to the market with my mom, grate and press fresh coconut cream or gata. I remember how fun it was to make dozens of bilo-bilo – drop them to a pot of boiling coconut milk while our cook prepared the sago, ube, saba and langka. I think it was also at this age that I learned how to cook my first sinigang and discovered the joy of eating okra and bagoong padas with bare hands.

At 30, I gave up my career in advertising to pursue my dream to become a chef. I enrolled in culinary school and weeks before the completion of my internship, I discovered that I was 3-weeks pregnant with our second child.

The next chapter of my life was dedicated to raising our children and helping in our family business.

My advocacy in Pinoy Organics was birthed because of my weekly quest to find organic products and farm-fresh produce for our family. My involvement in the movement has brought me to farms in many cities and provinces during weekends. I learned first-hand how the vegetables I cook and eat are grown. I also had the privilege to meet and work with the pioneers in organic agriculture in the Philippines because of it.

In 2013, at the height of my fast-paced lifestyle as a brand and communications consultant and consultant for various organizations, by accident, my doctors discovered 2 kidney stones, a cyst in my ovary, and a cyst on my left and right kidneys.

In the course of monitoring it, they also told me that I have a rare disease called Medullary Sponge Kidney (MSK). The immediate suggestion by two medical doctors was to remove the cysts and stones via surgery.

I asked them, “Is it necessary to have the procedure now?” 

Both answered, “No, but it would be best to do it as soon as possible.”

I thanked both of them and prayed about it.