They say that in heaven, love comes first. Heaven’s Touch Cuisine surely made heaven a place on earth for Thomasians, but soon it will close its gates for good.
The establishment’s manager and main cook, Ligaya Piadoche-Cordova, also known as “Nanay Gay,” told the Varsitarian that the favorite eatery on Asturias Street would close on June 2.
Cordova said the Villa Maria Asturias Building, where Heaven’s Touch had operated for more than 15 years, was sold to a new owner, prompting her to close the restaurant.
“Sa totoo lang hindi ko alam paano at saan ako magsisimula, ilang luha na ang naubos sa ilang araw na pagiisip na ang tinayo ko na institusyon ay magpapaalam na,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Cordova started managing Heaven’s Touch, then a struggling eatery, in 2006.
“Meron nang Heaven’s Touch before 2006; mga 2004 pinasalo sa’kin. So kung ano siya nung dinatnan ko ayun na talaga siya…Kinausap ako nung may-ari ng building na ako humawak ng Heaven’s Touch, pinasalo kumbaga. So nag-‘back to zero’ talaga ako,” she said.
Thanks to Artlet tambays (loiterers), Heaven’s Touch started booming in the 2010s.
“First batch ng tambay ay mga AB talaga. Tapos parang nag-aya lang sila nang nag-aya hanggang sa dumami na. Kada walang class, dito sila tumatambay. Dito na rin nagbe-breakfast, lunch at dinner,” Cordova said.
Through Heaven’s Touch, Cordova said she was able to finance the education of three of her four children up to the college level.
But since the pandemic hit and face-to-face classes in UST were barred, Heaven’s Touch struggled.
“Technically kaya naka-survive kasi walang rent na binabayaran,” Cordova said.
“Sinubukan kasi namin magbukas kaso wala talagang customer e. Tapos sinubukan namin mag-online noon kaso hindi din ganun kalakas. Syempre sa halagang P70 na food, may delivery fee na nasa P100 plus…mas mahal pa sa pagkain mo.”
‘HT Blessed Initiative’
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Cordova and her children started the HT Blessed Initiative, a food drive that has provided thousands of meals to frontliners and other workers.
“Noong unang wave, mga medical and non-medical frontliners ang nabigyan namin. Mga nasa 3,000 total,” Cordova said.
Celebrities and politicians partnered with the HT Blessed Initiative for their food drives, she said.
“Second wave namin, around 3,000 na blue collar workers. Partnership ‘yon with Erwan Heussaf and isang private company. Third wave, lumapit si Angel Locsin at sinuportahan ang initiative namin, para sa mga street dwellers naman,” Cordova said.
“Sa fourth, dinalaw pa kami ni Melai Cantiveros. Nagka-courtesy call pa kami kay VP Leni,” she added.
Heaven’s Touch Cuisine, Asturias HT Food Drive – Phase IV
Wave 06
Courtesy Call from Office of the VP – Angat Buhay…
Posted by HT Initiative on Thursday, May 6, 2021
Alumni bid farewell
Cordova’s post earned numerous comments from UST alumni and students who expressed sadness over the closure of their “home.”
“My go-to tambay place during college days and even after college. Mahal na mahal ka po namin and thank you so much for everything, especially the days [na] pumupunta lang ako sa HT para lang umiyak,” political science and civil law alumna Sky Makayan said in a Facebook post.
Renz Tabora II, another alumnus, wrote: “Sobrang laki ng pasasalamat at utang na loob ko sayo, Nay. Kung nanalo lang ako sa lotto, ako na sana ‘yung bumili ng building na yan.”
Since the pandemic, several food establishments around the campus, whose main customers were students, closed as classes shifted online: Chiquitos on Tolentino Street, Jollibee on Asturias Street, McDonald’s on Padre Noval Street and the UST carpark, Karaage Koto on Padre Noval, and a few Dimsum Treats branches.
Dimsum treats, Chiquitos cult-favorite restaurants in UST struggle to survive amid Covid-19 pandemic
Asked if she has plans to reopen Heaven’s Touch in the future, Cordova, just like Rick Price’s 90’s hit song, said: “Only heaven knows. Hindi ko pa talaga masabi.”
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