Training for service

At a recent birthday lunch hosted by a former co-worker where we feasted on specialties cooked by the well-wishers, including juicy roast chicken, savory lengua and the famous buco-lychees sherbet from Parañaque city, we discovered that there is a group which for years, has trained women in the "spirit of service", meaning job efficiency combined with a strong sense of values, for hotels and dining establishments, and to date most of the students have been placed in gainful employment.

The Punlaan school was established in 1975 to teach young household helpers basic skills with values formation. Located in a quiet area in San Juan, this was conceptualized by the Foundation for Professional Training Inc. (FPTI) specially to provide underprivileged young women with livelihood and employment skills combined with Christian values. In 1993, the Punlaan school, in cooperation with the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines and with the support of former First Lady Amelita Ramos, launched a two-year Dual Training Program in Food and Beverage Service.

Enrolment is completely free (subsidized by private business and government). Its Dual Training program is geared toward preparing women for entry level positions as food, pantry, beverage, kitchen attendants and cost control clerks. At any given time as many as 500 try to enter the school; unfortunately only 120 can be accommodated. After four months, this number is reduced to 50-60 students. Then they go into intensive training, including proper English. It is apparent that the school trains them well, as evidenced by assured employment and the very good word that hotel executives have about those they have hired. Perhaps Punlaan should expand its curriculum to include a course that would make sales persons (even supervisors and managers) in commercial outlets, like supermarkets and department stores, more efficient and customer friendly.

This brings to mind two outlet attendants we happily encountered sometime ago: a young gentleman at CPK on the bridge of Shangri-la Edsa Plaza and the amiable server at Seattle’s Best at Filinvest Mall in Muntinlupa. Unfortunately we have forgotten their names. But they were both gracious and had the initiative to come back to us and check if we were satisfied with what we ordered.

We re-visited our favorite stop on Carvajal street in Binondo, Quick Snack, which serves very satisfying meals very quickly. The place is always full and on that day we were lucky to get the last available table. Of course we ordered the "usual"–kuchay-a, an empanada-like pie, and their popular oyster cake. The gentleman of the place suggested lumpia in mini shells, and they were indeed super. The shells are actually crunchy pastry cups filled with meat and vegetables served with sweet and sour sauce. Another new item on the menu is rice cooked in brown broth with fresh mustasa.

Of course, after lunch we walked the lane and made some purchases. "Some" is an understatement as one of us left the place with a plastic bag the size of a rice sack, full of vegetables and fruits. Our "good buys" included carrots at P40 a kilo, broccoli at P40 a big bulb, single squash (looking like solo papayas) at P30 per, young garlic at P50 a big bunch, spring onions at P20, polonchay (Chinese pechay), cabbage, onions (red) at P50 a kilo, leeks, cucumbers and many others. Fruits abound in this street , all at a few centavos cheaper than in places like the market we usually go to.

More and more people order their meals for various reasons–expensive to buy good ingredients, there is no help in the house, one lives alone or both husband and wife work. The Burp!!Excuse me!! ladies now offer monthly specials. This month it’s Spanish and Asian Tapas . Call 744-4154.

Patrons of Tony’s Pospas in Biñan, including Manilans who often make a special trip for this special arroz caldo, will be glad to know that it is now housed in a covered area with proper tables and chairs, right beside where its former sidewalk outlet was. A bowl of this super delicious porridge still costs P35.

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Lydia D. Castillo’s e-mail address: [email protected]