Philippine dish lugaw, inspired by Chinese congee, stirs debate in locked-down Manila

The popular rice porridge trended on social media after an official told a Grab delivery driver that it was not essential during Covid-19 curfew restrictions

The issue took a political slant, with government official Epimaco Densing III taking a swipe at Vice-President Leni Robredo, who had been nicknamed #LeniLugaw

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Chinese migrants brought their rice congee to the Philippines in the 1500s, after which locals tweaked it into something that is considered a comfort food today. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:30pm, 1 Apr 2021Updated: 8:37pm, 1 Apr 2021

The humble rice porridge lugaw has become a trending topic in the Philippines after a lowly official was recorded preventing a Grab driver from delivering the food to a home because it was past the coronavirus curfew.

The incident happened in the early hours of March 30 when delivery man Marvin Ignacio was stopped in the city of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan province, north of Metro Manila.

The woman scolded Ignacio for violating the 6pm to 5am curfew during the seven-day Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), which started on Monday across the National Capital Region and four neighbouring provinces including Bulacan after Covid-19 infections quadrupled.

When Ignacio showed her a copy of the latest government curfew guidelines allowing food delivery services 24/7, she taunted him to record her, which he promptly did on Facebook Live.

The 30-minute video shows her telling Ignacio in a condescendingly polite voice: “Why is Grab [delivery] still operating? People are no longer allowed to loiter outside. Because while you still operate, people will continue to go out. Nonsense, sir. Yes, do take my video.”

She then uttered the now-famous line: “Is lugaw essential? No. Because people can live without it. Lugaw is not essential because we can live the entire day without it.”