A sample of Malagos chocolates that President Rodrigo Duterte's partner, Honeylet Avancena, will give to Southeast Asian leaders' spouses. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA - Spouses of Southeast Asian leaders who will be in the country next week will get a taste of President Rodrigo Duterte's hometown through Davao City's Malagos chocolates, its manufacturer said Tuesday.
Duterte's partner, Honeylet Avanceña, ordered a dozen boxes each containing 9 dark chocolate bars, tablets that dissolve into chocolate drinks and handcrafted cups, said chocolatier Rex Puentespina.
"It’s from Davao so I think may points ‘yun. It’s also an award-winning chocolate recognized abroad so hindi talaga sila mapapahiya," Puentespina told ABS-CBN News.
(It's from Davao. It should account for some points. It's also award-winning chocolate recognized abroad. They can be proud of it.)
Malagos’ unsweetened drinking chocolate and its 65 percent dark chocolate bar have been winning awards in London since 2015.
Puentespina said he hoped ASEAN spouses would order more chocolates from Malagos, to help spread the word on the 38-year-old business.
Avanceña is expected to host different activities for the spouses in the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, in keeping with the bloc's tradition.
Gift boxes containing the same items as those given to the dignitaries' spouses will be available commercially after the summit ends on Nov. 15.