BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Baguio Bureau)- All that talk of essential and non-essential goods in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis in the Philippines had finally been put to rest. Lugaw (rice porridge) is indeed essential.

In a quaint neighborhood in this summer capital of the Philippines, Vice President Leni Robredo opened her very first campaign headquarters in her bid to become President in 2022. It was timed to coincide with the final day of Holy Week, Easter Sunday.

It was an inconspicuous opening in Baguio City, with no fanfare, simple as the Filipino food which has become Robredo’s political trademark – lugaw.

Many more similar campaign headquarters are expected to rise in the next few weeks, leading up to the exact day that the elections will be held a year after, in 2022.

Campaign memes and jingles will soon fill the pages and airwaves of both mainstream and social media, heralding the bold and much anticipated bid by Robredo to become President of the Lugaw Republic.