Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi loves everything Japanese—from its culture to its food to its shipbuilding industry, where many of the roll-on, roll-off vessels of his ferry company were built before he reentered government service last year.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi loves everything Japanese—from its culture to its food to its shipbuilding industry, where many of the roll-on, roll-off vessels of his ferry company were built before he reentered government service last year.
So when Japanese artist Keisuke Teshima—famous for his “One-Stroke Dragon” paintings, made with just a single brush stroke—gifted the energy chief with one of his creations, Cusi decided to auction it off, inviting his wealthy friends to bid for it at the Networld Hotel in Pasay City on Friday night.
The catch? No cash bids would be accepted. Instead, interested bidders would commit to provide “lugaw” (rice porridge) for the Duterte’s Kitchen feeding program for indigents.
Each industrial-sized “kaldero” (pot) of lugaw, including the preparation and distribution costs, as well as disposable cups and utensils, was pegged at P3,000.
Hence, a bid of 100 kaldero would have a nominal value of P300,000—which is exactly where the bidding began that evening.
“What we really want to do here is help feed the hungry street children,” Cusi said. “Duterte’s Kitchen has several locations, including a fixed site in Cubao, Quezon City, but we also have several mobile feeding stations.”
These mobile units use large motorized tricycles as roving kitchens to provide meals in key areas nationwide in impoverished neighborhoods.
