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Words and photos by: Mariel Escarcha
If you ask me to tell you about my childhood – I would probably come up blank. From age seven and below, I only have a handful of core memories: My mom and dad taking me on a vacation to Cebu, an accident that caused me to have stitches on my chin, the pink hue from my mom’s curtains as she sang me to sleep at night, and my reputation as an avid snacker.
My grandfather had a sari-sari store in Makati. It’s known to others as Belen Store – named after my late grandmother. For our family though, it was lovingly known as tindahan ni tatay.
Due to my well-known love for snacks, my mom limited my access to it (up until now, if we’re being honest). What she can’t control though, was my grandfather’s knack for spoiling his grandchildren. One “’Tay, pwede po ako kumuha ng Marie sa tindahan?” (Pa, may I get a Marie from our store?) and I’m suddenly munching on the soft milk biscuits I couldn’t get enough of.
We even had a running joke in the family – that I would cry if you took my Marie biscuits. It really was THAT snack for me.
My 3rd year in high school was a big change for me. I went from studying in Manila during my early years to transferring schools in Muntinlupa, the southernmost part of the Metro. I was lucky enough to find a fun group of friends though. Unfortunately, I was placed in a different section from most of them.
That’s why recess was so important to me. Sure, we would always hang out after the final bell rings. However, there’s something so fun about cramming the walk to the canteen, lining up to buy biscuits, and eating them with your friends in under 30 minutes. The choices would always boil down to Rebisco Choco Sandwich, Extreme, or Hansel Crackers for me.
From opening a Hansel pack, the smell alone always leads me to choosing it as my midday snack. It was also my crush’s favorite – and if I usually chose it for that reason… that’s between me, myself, and I.
I have a big age gap with my cousins from both sides of the family. I was also the youngest, so I kept to myself for most of my childhood. My cousins never made me feel left out though – they were always trying to let me in their circle. At first I refused because what were we supposed to talk about?
I got the answer during my first heartbreak. As one of the few girls in the family, my older cousins were really protective when it comes to my love life – especially since they had stable and happy relationships themselves. They only wanted the same for me. So when my college romance didn’t work out, it was the final push I needed for me to open up to them.
After that, I was spending more and more time with them. We shared endless stories about love, career, and future endeavors while munching on some snacks. Prominent on the table were Waftertime Rich Cream and Choco Mucho Cookies.
My snacking tendencies didn’t go away as I became an adult. If anything, it grew with me. Every time I finish a meal, I’m always looking for a sweet treat after. When the afternoons get dull, I know a snack will liven it up. In between work, I would grab a snack or two to get me going.
Looking back at my core memories, be it with my family or friends, snacks always played a big part in it. I want to pass down the same experience to my nephews – to get that feeling of fondness when you eat a certain snack, like how Marie Biscuits would always remind me of my late lolo.
It didn’t take too long until I got to make a core memory with one of my nephews though. Jinnie, as I like to call him, is in Grade 2 right now. However, he was nervous during his first day of school because his only experience with studies was limited to online classes. I was clueless on how to cheer him up – the only thing I could do was hand him Frootees and offer him a hug.
Now, every time I come over, he hands me a snack we can share such as Combi and Rebisco Strawberry Sandwich while we’re watching a movie.
That’s when I knew that core memories and snacks go well together. It can even be considered a universal experience – passed from one generation to another.
As Rebisco celebrates its 60th anniversary, it’s safe to say that Filipinos grew along with them.
Starting out as a small corner bakery in San Juan back in 1963, Rebisco always had “a mission to start a business of selling quality snacks at an affordable price.” as explained by Andrei Soriano, Rebisco’s Head of Marketing for Biscuits.
The snack corporation giant has proven time and time again that their products cater to a diverse range of tastes and preferences. Filipinos of all ages and from all walks of life can confidently say that Rebisco products are beloved childhood favorites that are carried until adulthood.
Whether we notice it or not, they are a part of important family milestones like Ate’s baon during her first day in school, Nanay’s first shared snack with Tatay during their ligawan days, Kuya’s snack during a field trip, and it’s even Lolo’s favorite pasalubong to apo.
Rebisco has cemented itself as a pioneer in the Philippine biscuit industry. As any snack corporation aspires to be, they will continue to evolve as a brand that Filipinos will always look for to create memories with. Find out more about Rebisco and its brands here. You might be surprised to see how much of their products you have grown up with.
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