US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shares a Thanksgiving meal with Tuloy Foundation culinary scholars on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — With a menu inspired by Filipino-American White House executive chef Cristeta Pasia-Comerford, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shared Tuesday a meal with culinary scholars of the Tuloy Foundation to celebrate Thanksgiving.
“I’m honored that we get to share this beautiful meal to celebrate Thanksgiving… I believe the menu was inspired by a wonderful Filipino-American chef who is the executive chef at the White House so it’s gonna be really good,” Kim told the scholars before they partook of the food prepared by chef-instructors at Enderun Colleges.
Kim also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served as ambassador of the United States in the Philippines.
“Thanksgiving is a time for us to think about the good things we have. Just so grateful that I’ve had a chance to live and work in the Philippines for the past three years as the United States ambassador,” he said.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shares a Thanksgiving meal with Tuloy Foundation culinary scholars on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net
“(This is) a tremendous privilege for me to serve as the US ambassador to this very special country I have learned so much,” he added.
Tuloy Foundation, which started with only 12 children in a room in Don Bosco Parish Compound in Makati City, was founded by Fr. Marciano Evangelista 25 years ago.
Under its comprehensive residential program, the foundation takes in poor, abandoned, orphaned, and neglected street children as well as out-of-school youth from poor communities, war-stricken and indigenous tribes to avail of free education and vocational skills training.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shares a Thanksgiving meal with Tuloy Foundation culinary scholars on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net
The children are guided by a community of religious and lay volunteers, psychologists, and social workers.
The foundation has so far served around 20,860 children – 4,400 of them have since graduated from the basic and functional literacy programs.
“Today, of course, in the US, Thanksgiving Day is a big sale and a big football game,” Edgardo Rodriguez, president of Enderun Colleges, said in jest.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim tries his hand at preparing a Thanksgiving meal, which he later shares with Tuloy Foundation culinary scholars on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net
“In the Philippines, Thanksgiving day means it’s the time you usher in the last ‘ber’ month. The schedules of the mall all change. Today, however, let us use this day to break our diets,” he added, eliciting laughter from the room.
“And also, with all of you here to count your blessings and to think about how you can give back, in the future, every thanksgiving, let us remember the friends you’ve met here,” he further said.