Situated at the coastlines east of Quezon province, Marinduque is known for its tourist destinations such as white sand beaches that have captivated tourists here and abroad.
It is also home to the “bibingkang lalaki” – a rice cake mixed with the province’s famous coconut wine (tuba) – and arrowroot cookies, two delicacies that keep the place unique at its core.
One of Marinduque’s dessert joints is now making waves around the scene. Casa John Artisanal Donuts, a local donut shop, has been serving quality treats to locals for three years now.
For this month, the donut shop offers its Halloween-themed selection – Cookies n’ Cream, Cookie Monster, and Death by Chocolate – as flavors fit for the spooky season.
Proprietor Carlo Madrigal Lontoc, a Communication Arts student in UP Los Baños, shares this venture stemmed from a mix of hobby and tradition. He has considered running the small business his passion – an art form even.
“The creative process—from conceptualization, branding, and promotions to product development and crafting the donuts themselves—feels like art to me. From the beginning, our mission has been to create not only tasty donuts but also visually appealing ones that showcase the craftsmanship and passion behind them,” he says.
Being in Marinduque, an island with only a handful of mainstream food choices being offered in cities, Lontoc places Casa John’s as a fresh brand.
“Our province, being an island, doesn’t have the same variety of food choices available in bigger cities or the mainland, and I wanted to help fill that gap,” Lontoc says.
So far, Casa John partnered with local establishments in Marinduque as it seeks to gain recognition within the community. It has set its eyes to expand first toward the capital town, Boac, to help ground its foot to the greater market.
However, its desire for a wider reach does not stop in Marinduque alone.
Lontoc, being an artist-communicator, also looks forward to leveraging his product’s quality to Manila through take-out services. Seeing the demand, he hopes that it would gain a measurable ground to introduce Casa John to a wider palate.
