URC Flourish Pilipinas Baking Competition Winners Named

Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Flour and Pasta Division held its friendly baking showdown last April 11 and 12, 2019 marking its 4th run to date.

As a part of URC Flour’s Flourish Pilipinas program, students with their coach representatives from select public senior public high schools competed in the bake-off for the top prize in two separate categories: cakes and bread. The panel of judges scored the pastries based on taste and presentation. The competition was definitely a fierce one as each school evidently did not hold back in showcasing their talents and knowledge in baking.

URC Flour’s newly launched and first baking school, Baker John Academy, now permanently hosts the competition, apart from providing a world-class venue for our young Filipino talents in bread and pastry.

Baked to perfection: Winners showcase baking prowess

In the cake category, Sta. Lucia High School students Ralph Christian Mangilit and Alaura Pabandero with coach Angelo dela Cruz were crowned champions with their Sweet Potato Carrot Cake. The cake was topped by strips of sweet potato and grated carrots. First runner-up was Mahayag National High School’s Ivy Rose Peniano and Annie Castro, led by coach Jennifer Apurado, with their Tuba Cake. This cake was based on coconut wine known locally as tuba. Don Enrique Bustamante National High School students Jamila Eloiza Pawai and Norlyn Nacion with coach Amelia Velarde at the helm took second runner-up with their Davao Pomelo Cake. Pink icing was used to reference the main flavor used in this cake.

In the bread category, the top prize was awarded to Makati High School students Stephanie Jane Escobido and Rowel Villanueva, led by coach Lian Espiritu, with their Macabasa loaf. Taking 2nd place were Mahayag National High School students Mark Geo Batistis and Jannaly Olaer and coach Rosalie Pamulagan with “Garden Bread.” Sta. Lucia High School manages to place again in the top 3 with their Spinach Celery Bread, baked by students Aubrey San Agustin and Jhon Caparal with coach Angelo Dela Cruz who took his 2nd win of the night.

The grand prize winners each took home a start-up online bakery package worth Php 100,000.00; baking equipment; baking ingredients and consumables; and other baking tools; while their coaches were awarded with P10,000 cash prize.

A nation-building program supporting the country’s baking industry

Strengthening its role in nation-building, URC launched the Flourish Pilipinas Program with the goal to support the growth and development of the local baking industry. With its various activities, Flourish Pilipinas strives to promote bread and pastry baking as a source of livelihood.

Last year, URC Flour partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide bread and pastry multimedia toolkits to select senior public high school in Davao City, Makati City and Pasig City.