Navotas City recently paid tribute to Navoteña culinary luminary Teresita R. Reyes, fondly known as “Mama Sita” and founder of Marigold Manufacturing Corp.
Mayor John Rey Tiangco on Monday awarded a plaque of appreciation to Clara Reyes-Lapus, daughter of Mama Sita, for her family’s donation of a framed “Mama Sita” collection of commemorative stamps (series of 2013 to 2015) and two sets of Mama Sita’s cookbooks.
“We are very proud that fellow Navoteños have made huge contributions to the Filipino cuisine history. We hope that the legacy of Mama Sita and the Reyes family will inspire Navoteños, especially our youth, to find their niche and strive to excel in it,” Tiangco said.
“Mama Sita” was the eldest child of Engracia Cruz-Reyes, founder of the iconic Aristocrat restaurant. She developed mixes and sauces that helped bring Filipino favorites such as sinigang, kare-kare, caldereta and Manila-style barbecue to the tables of Filipinos abroad.
Reyes-Lapus, an architect by profession, also carved her niche in the culinary world. She exported “Mama Sita” products across the globe and made the brand a household name in 46 countries.
A cooking demonstration, featuring “Mama Sita” products, was held at the Navotas City Hall lobby after the awarding.
Tiangco noted Mama Sita’s use of indigenous ingredients to promote their hometown.
“It is important to highlight the resources we have. We hope to promote not just the Navoteño culture, but also the products that we have created and developed using our resources here,” he said.
The city government recently launched the second round of One Barangay, One Product that sought to promote the use of local resources in Navotas, better known as the fishing capital of the Philippines.