For many Filipinos, the Ube Custard Cake has become more than just a dessert. It is often part of birthdays, celebrations, family gatherings, and quiet moments shared at home. Behind every slice served on the table, however, is a story that begins far beyond the kitchen. A story rooted in hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance.
This Mother’s Day, the Team traveled to Pangasinan to personally visit Nanay Rosel, a local ube farmer who has spent the last seven years cultivating ube to support her family and livelihood.
More than a simple visit, the experience became a meaningful reminder of the people behind every ingredient and the quiet stories of resilience that often remain unseen behind every product enjoyed by customers.
A Harvest Built Through Patience and Hard Work
For Nanay Rosel, farming ube is not easy work. Every harvest requires patience, physical labor, and months of waiting before the crops are finally ready.
“Ang pinakamahirap po talaga yung maghukay ng ube lalo pa kung matigas ang lupa at malalim,” she shared.
Unlike other crops that can be harvested within a shorter period, ube farming takes almost an entire year before the roots are ready to be gathered from the ground. Throughout those months, farmers continue to endure unpredictable weather conditions, physically demanding labor, and uncertainty over whether the harvest will be enough to sustain their daily needs.
“Isang taon bago ma-harvest ang ube, mahirap po talaga,” Nanay Rosel said.
For families like hers, ube farming becomes more than a livelihood, it becomes a source of hope during difficult seasons. Especially during periods when other opportunities for income are limited, the harvest becomes one of the few ways they are able to provide for their families.
“Lalo po ngayong season, wala pong ibang hanapbuhay kundi ube lang,” she shared. Despite the challenges, Nanay Rosel continues to persevere, driven by the simple goal of creating a better future for her family through honest and hardworking labor.
A Mother’s Sacrifice Behind Every Harvest
Beyond the fields and harvests is the story of a mother whose sacrifices have slowly transformed into opportunities for her family.
According to Nanay Rosel, years of farming have allowed them to gradually build a life they once only hoped for. Through every season of planting and harvesting, she was able to support the education of her children and eventually build a simple home they could proudly call their own.
“Dahil po sa ube, marami na rin kaming naipundar kahit simpleng bahay lang po, pinaghirapan naman po namin,” she shared emotionally. “Nakapagpaaral din po ako ng anak dahil sa pag u-ube.”
Her story reflects the quiet strength of many Filipino mothers who continuously endure difficult work and personal sacrifices to provide for their families. Often unseen, their perseverance becomes the foundation that allows future generations to dream bigger and live better lives.
For Nanay Rosel, every harvest represents not only income, but years of determination, resilience, and unconditional love for her family.
From Farm to Cake
As a simple gesture of appreciation, the team brought an Ube Custard Cake for Nanay Rosel and her family, allowing them to personally enjoy and share the product made from the very ube they patiently grow and harvest.
The cake was also shared with some of their neighbors turning the visit into a simple yet meaningful gathering within the community. For Nanay Rosel, seeing how their ube becomes part of celebrations and shared moments among Filipino families made the experience even more meaningful.
Gratitude Beyond the Kitchen
For Nanay Rosel and many local farmers like her, partnerships with businesses help create opportunities that sustain not only livelihoods, but entire families and communities as well.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa Conti’s. Kung wala po kayo, walang kukuha ng ube namin at wala rin po kaming kita,” she shared.
Her words served as a powerful reminder that behind every product are people whose lives are directly impacted by opportunities created through responsible partnerships and local sourcing.
This Mother’s Day, Conti’s celebrates not only the love shared through every Ube Custard Cake, but also the hardworking mothers behind every harvest—the women whose perseverance, sacrifices, and dedication continue to inspire stories worth celebrating Because behind every slice is more than just an ingredient. Behind it is a mother’s story.
