In his 80’s hit, “Heaven,” Bryan Adams said, “Once in your life you find someone who will turn your world around.”
Heaven’s Touch Cuisine announced earlier this year that it would soon close shop because its building was sold to a new owner.
It had operated at Villa Maria Asturias Building for 15 years.
When Heaven’s Touch needed saving, a Thomasian came to the rescue.
Former UST student Renz Tabora II, a Heaven’s Touch loyalist who remained close to the cook and manager of the eatery, Ligaya Piadoche-Cordova, even after graduation, raised over P60,000 to help the restaurant reopen in a new location.
“[T]inatrato niya talaga kaming mga tambay at customers niya na parang tunay niyang anak. ‘Yung Heaven’s Touch talagang nagsilbi ‘yun na tahanan namin kaya isa na ‘yun sa dahilan kung bakit sobrang laki ng utang na loob namin kay Nanay kaya somehow ito yung naisip din naming magkakaibigan,” Tabora said of Corrdova.
“Naniniwala kasi kami sa adbokasiya ni Nanay, ‘yun ‘yung pagtulong sa kapwa. Kasi kung mawawala ang Heaven’s Touch, mababawasan ‘yung mga taong maaabutan ng tulong nila Nanay,” he added.
Tabora said he was able to raise a total of P62,540.
Thanks to the fundraiser, the gates of Heaven’s Touch will remain open—albeit at a different location.
Cordova, now the owner of Heaven’s Touch, has announced that the eatery would move to Concepcion Street in Dapitan.
“Mukhang ayaw pa talaga nila akong umuwi ng probinsya. Wag kayo [mag-alala] nasa kabilang street lang ako sa may Concepcion [Street],” Cordova wrote in a Facebook post.
Cordova said the restaurant would still undergo furnishing but would entertain take-out and advance orders.
“Unti-unti na naming inaayos ‘yung tindahan,” Cordova told the Varsitarian.
Still findin’ it hard to believe, “Nanay Gay” is thankful for the support of her eatery’s avid eaters.
“Alam ko na simula pa lang to at marami pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan dahil alam naman natin na hindi pa tapos ang pandemya. Pero lakas-loob akong haharap sa mga pagsubok dahil alam ko na maraming nagmamahal sakin na nandiyan lang sa likod ko na handang umalalay,” she said. Jacqueline B. Martinez with reports from Laurd Menhard B. Salen
