Unang “National Hopia Day” celebration sa 19 Hulyo pangungunahan ng Eng Bee Tin

GAGANAPIN ang kauna-unahang selebrasyon ng “National Hopia Day” sa Filipinas sa 19 Hulyo 2024, na pangungunahan ng Eng Bee Tin.

Sa 19–21 Hulyo 2024, ang pagdiriwang ay gaganapin sa Mall of Asia Music Hall bilang pagbibigay karangalan sa Filipino-Chinese heritage, kung saan malaking bahagi ang ‘hopia’, ayon kina Gerik Chua, Eng Bee Tin’s chief operating officer at kapatid nitong si  Roche Chua na siya namang  finance manager ng kompanya.

Ang nasabing  event ayon pa sa kanila ay magiging puno ng kasiyahan at sorpresa, magkakaroon din ng star sightings at games para sa buong pamilya at may pagkakataon pang manalo ng premyo kabilang na ang   lifetime supply ng Eng Bee Tin products.

Nabatid kay Gerik, na ang kasaysayan ng hopia sa Pilipinas ay nagsimula noong unang bahagi ng 1900s nang dumating  sa bansa ang mga unang Chinese immigrants mula Fujian province sa  China.

“Hopia is a staple snack and pastry for the Chinese, it’s their version of puff pastry.  They brought this culture with them as they lived in the Philippines. Chinese families would bake this at home or sell it in their small neighborhood bake shops catering to the Chinese community,” he said, adding that ‘hopia’ came from the Fookien Word “Ho-Bia” which, when directly translated, means ‘Good Biscuit’.

“Traditionally made up of a flaky pastry exterior with a sweet mung bean paste filling, the pastry gained popularity over the years, among mainstream Filipino consumers as a tasty snack and cheap everyday treat. Flavors such as Hopia Mongo, Hopia Baboy and Hopia Hapon were crowd favorites,”  salaysay pa nito.

Sa kanyang bahagi, sinabi naman ni Roche na noong huling bahagi ng   1980s nang gawin ng kanilang ama na si Gerry Chua Ang kauna-unahang ‘Ube Hopia’.

Sa kasalukuyan,  ang Eng Bee Tin ay may malawak na pagpipilian ng mga flavors ng hopia na pawang   Filipino flavors at naging pangunahing pasalubong ng mga Pinoy.

“Extremely grateful and honored to be able to serve the Filipinos for 112 years, and with our commitment to quality and innovation, we are excited to serve you more great flavors for the years to come,”  pahayag naman ni Gerry, president at CEO ng Eng Bee Tin na ngayon at nasa ika-112  taon na. (BONG SON)