Kawa Pilipinas: How and why this non-profit feeds the hungry and politically imprisoned

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MANILA, Philippines – For Mae Paner, nothing is ever accidental.

The founder and chair of Kawa Pilipinas Foundation believes that everything — even challenges — is part of a larger plan. This belief now anchors the mission of Kawa Pilipinas, a SEC-registered nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger among society’s most marginalized. These include the homeless, urban poor, persons with special needs, survivors of disasters, and even political prisoners.

VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE. Kawa Pilipinas’ new location. All images by Xen Fernandez/Rappler

“When people see this new home — a 450-square-meter house on a 600-square-meter lot — they’ll realize we’re serious about this,” Paner told Rappler. “It looks like a real kitchen that needs real people to help solve the problem of hunger.”

Paner, recently named one of Inquirer’s Women of Power 2024, has seen her advocacy grow from a small garage setup to an organization nominated by Vera Files and Probe Team for Taiwan’s 2024 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Awards.

WOMAN OF POWER. Mae Paner gets her flowers during the launch of KAWA Pilipinas.

Kawa recently celebrated the blessing of its new home at 1025-C Ayala St., Malate, Manila. The event gathered advocates and supporters, among them, former senator Kiko Pangilinan.

Response to hunger

Pangilinan, who is seeking a Senate comeback in 2025 on a food security platform, continues to push for food security, calling for increased government investment in agriculture and a higher budget for the Department of Agriculture at a time when poverty is at a high.

“People are at the highest level of hopelessness,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. “And a lot has to do with expensive food prices. The result is hunger.”

FORMER SENATOR. Kiko Pangilinan as an honored guest of the foundation.

In Congress, he co-authored Senate Bill No. 1927 to liberalize rice trade and provide direct cash aid to farmers. He also filed Senate Bill No. 257 promoting urban and vertical farming, and Senate Bill No. 35 granting compensation to farmers affected by disasters.

“I am so glad that we have the support of Senator Kiko, because food is really his cause,” said Paner. “From the very beginning, ever since I’ve known him, he has always advocated for food to be accessible to everyone.” Paner also shared how the former senator’s farm has been donating to Kawa’s cause.

Kitchen built on trust

Kawa began as a small garage, cooking for and serving only a few hundred “beloveds.”

Before it became what it is now, Kawa was based out of Paner’s garage from August 2020 to March 2021. It later moved to a convent leased from the Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer, but the lease ended unexpectedly in 2024.

Kawa had to vacate and temporarily moved to De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s MFC building, with the help of a friend. Not long after, they were again asked to vacate – the building was to be converted into a fashion museum. Paner recalled being told, “Mae, you need to leave.”

“That’s when I realized – what you think is a problem is just the universe preparing you for something big,” Paner said, framing it as a blessing in disguise.

TALLY. 436,594 MEALS and counting.

The “something big” turned out to be their new home in Malate. From feeding a few hundred, Kawa has now served over 436,000 meals since 2020.

Built through partnerships

Kawa couldn’t have achieved what they have without the continued support of a few key individuals and organizations, including — but not limited to — former senator Pangilinan, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the United Architects of the Philippines Diliman Chapter, Pictopio Construction, Inc., and the Jollibee Group Foundation.

Paner’s friend — the former VP for Administration of Benilde and one-half of a husband-and-wife tandem — paved the way for Kawa’s entry into the school. While Mr. Noni Odulio found them a place at Benilde, Ms. Katz Odulio asked Paner: “Can the architectural design of your home be the project of the United Architects of the Philippines, Diliman Chapter?”

And that was that: a project worth a million pesos, done for free.

“Sometimes things really work out and missions align,” said Katz Odulio, president of the UAP Diliman Chapter. “And when we heard the need, when he met Mae, and we visited, and we participated in one Saturday… We really saw the love that went into the work.”

TANDEM. Husband and wife Noni and Katz Odulio.

“If we can give service, we can put out the work of architects out there and show them that we can do this for the community — of course, it’s always a yes,” she added.

The construction manager of Pictopio Construction, Inc. — who led and oversaw the contractor’s work on Kawa’s new home — also sent a heartfelt letter for the occasion, as she couldn’t make it to the event.

“People have asked me, Bakit Kawa? Why help them build this house at cost?” the letter read. “My answer is simple: because I believe in what they do and who they are. Kagaya po ng inyong mga paniniwala sa ating foundation.”

“Kawa Pilipinas feeds the hungry on the streets. They care for persons deprived of liberty, those forgotten behind bars. They rush to help those affected by calamities.”

The letter went on to honor Paner as “a true woman of power,” not because of wealth or fame, but because of the goodness of her heart and her “deep sense of purpose.”

“Kaya po, noong lumapit sa amin sa Pictopio Construction ang mga tao behind this Kawa, the letter read, hindi na po kailangan magdalawang isip pa ang aming company.“

(That’s why, when the people behind Kawa approached us, our company didn’t have to think twice.)

“We offered to build at cost, because this is not just a project. Ito po ang ating misyon,” the letter concluded.

If there’s one institution that wholeheartedly believed in Kawa’s cause, said Paner, it’s the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF).

According to her, when word gets around that the JGF sends in-kind donations to Kawa, more support follows. “Ganon pala ‘yong buhay, ‘no?” Paner mused. “‘Pag nalaman ng tao na may nagtiwala sa ‘yong isang mabuting organisasyon, ‘yong ibang organisasyon, magtitiwala din.”

(Life’s like that, right? When people find out a good organization trusts you, others will too.)

At the height of the pandemic, Paner was part of a group cooking for communities affected by COVID-19 at Baclaran Church. It was during this time that the JGF’s Social Development Board felt the call to help and became one of the first food companies to donate.

The ‘Beloveds’: The whys

Redemptorist Brother Jun Santiago of Baclaran Church, known for his work supporting victims of the war on drugs and extrajudicial killings, shared that his journey with Paner began with one word: “Tara” (Come).

At Baclaran, Santiago and a small group cooked for workers, volunteers, the homeless, and those who had lost their jobs during the pandemic in the MOA and Luneta areas. “Inimbitahan ko siya (Paner),” he recounted. “Sabi ko, ‘Mae, tara dito sa Baclaran Church. Kahit isang beses ka lang magluto, malaki na ang magagawa nito.’”

(I invited her [Paner]. I said, “Mae, come over to Baclaran Church. Even if you cook for us just once, it will go a long way.”)

ONE WORD. Brother Jun Santiago shares his experience.

And that simple invitation — that simple call of “tara” — had gone a long way.

Among Kawa’s beneficiaries, whom they call “beloveds”, are persons deprived of liberty (PDL), including political prisoners.

The Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Muntinlupa City both expressed gratitude for what they call “pagkaing laya” — literally, “freedom food” — a witty phrase that plays on the dual meaning of “free”: without charge and no longer imprisoned.

“Malaking tulong po sa kanila (PDLs) ‘yon na nararamdaman nila na may mga nagmamahal mula sa labas,” said CIW Acting Superintendent Marjorie Ann Sanidad.

(“It’s a big help for them [PDLs] to feel that there are people from the outside who still care for them.”)

Fides Lim, wife of political prisoner Vic Ladlad, said: “Ang isang priority namin sa pagbibigay ng pagkain ay sa New Bilibid, Muntinlupa, where there are more than 50 political prisoners.”

SUPPORT. FIDES Lim, wife of a political prisoner, speaks up.

“And I’m very happy na andito si Director Sanidad ng CIW na nagsalita before me,” she said, addressing the official. “I hope ‘wag niyo na akong iba-ban sa mga kulungan, kasi ang pakay lang naman namin ay maghatid ng pagkain. And of course, in that process, inevitably, may mga very overzealous na personnel ninyo.”

(“And I’m very happy that Director Sanidad of the CIW, who spoke before me, is here. I hope you won’t ban me from the prisons anymore. Our only intention is to deliver food. And of course, in the process, some of your personnel can get a bit overzealous.”)

Still, Lim expressed that theirs is a joyful mission. She thanked Paner for her “revolution of love — mula puso hanggang tiyan (from the heart down to the stomach).“

Former senator Pangilinan also stressed the need to address hunger and food security through partnerships. While the government should act as initiator and catalyst, he said, “the private sector is the one with the deepest pockets,” noting that it accounts for 80% of the country’s GDP, compared to the government’s 20%.

“It’s inspiring to see this kind of initiative,” Pangilinan told Rappler. “A private sector movement addressing a major concern, the health and wellness concern, which is food.”

“It shows us that when government and the private sector work together, we can address more of the challenges faced by communities across the country.”

“A model like this should be encouraged,” he added. “Initiatives like this should be supported by the government.”

PARTNERSHIP. Founder and Chair Mae Paner and former Senator Kiko Pangilinan in front of the Kawa Mural.

You, too, can help. Donations can be sent through Kawa’s website, or you can sign up to volunteer by messaging their Facebook page. “This house is big enough for that,” Paner said.

Pangilinan also shared that they have begun research on centralizing school feeding programs, aiming to provide free meals to all students from kindergarten to grade 12.

Hunger is a universal experience. While intensity and frequency may differ depending on social and environmental circumstances, the basic need for food — to sustain life — is something we all share.

“And that’s why, front and center,” Pangilinan said, “is the question: how can you aspire for a better future? How can you aspire to be a better individual if all you’re actually aspiring for is to eat?”

“If that’s the case, how can we be a progressive country?”

Just like the kawa it’s named after, Kawa Pilipinas has become a large iron wok into which different sets of hands, from government, private institutions, or individuals, can chip in what they can. The result? A meal big enough for the more disadvantaged to take what they need. – Rappler.com

Bea Gatmaytan is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines Diliman.