Fork & Spoon steps up with self-funded meal drive for typhoon-hit community

A Gualo Rai restaurant took it upon itself to feed hundreds of residents reeling from Typhoon Sinlaku, mounting a free hot meal distribution without outside backing.

Fork & Spoon: House of Sizzling prepared and handed out more than 400 meals last April 28 at Spring Plaza, targeting families still struggling in the storm’s aftermath.

Owner Joan Boongaling said the initiative came straight from the restaurant.

“We prepared today 400 plus meals to give back to the community, to help them actually,” she said. “Because we know that there's a lot of people struggling right now.”

She added that despite their own challenges, the restaurant chose to act.

“All of us were struggling, but we wanted to help and give back to all our regular customers as well.”

Meals included sautéed pork with vegetables and ground pork in tomato sauce, distributed starting at 2pm until supplies ran out.

Boongaling also offered a message of resilience to the community, “Just be strong, all of us. We can do this.”

The effort comes even as the restaurant faces operational hurdles. While it sustained only minor physical damage, Boongaling said Fork & Spoon remains without water and power, making reopening uncertain.

She said fuel alone for generator use costs about $60 daily, with additional expenses for water deliveries, forcing the business to weigh when it can safely resume operations.

For now, Boongaling said they will hold off on reopening and continue to assess conditions.