FREEPORTS AND ECOZONES
Saving Savie's By January Guia Caringal-Bawat
G
ood food has always been what people look for in a restaurant. In every tourist spot, there will always be at least one amazing food establishment waiting to serve its best specialties to the people. The same goes for Poro Point Baywalk. It is where you will find the famous Savie’s Restaurant and Bar in San Fernando, La Union. Savie’s started in 2018 when the owner, Angeline C. Go, famously known as “Geline,” thought about venturing into the food industry. As a graduate of Travel and Tours Management, and equipped with the experiences that she gained from her on-the-job training and first work, Geline eventually put up her own travel agency at the age of 23. As the years went by, she always thought about looking into other businesses. Her love for cooking pushed her to start her own restaurant. Initially, Geline’s plan was to put up a small restaurant in downtown San Fernando to cater to more people since the location was in the central business district. However, when she heard that Poro Point Baywalk was starting to lease parcels of land inside it, she felt as if everything was falling into place. Despite the lack of experience in the food industry, she plunged in and decided to start her restaurant business at the Poro Point Baywalk. Turning up the heat The restaurant’s name was derived from Geline’s daughter’s name, Shayne Arriah Vanelope, and their logo is of a cartoon 24 Collective / Issue 16
version of baby Savie’s photo. Being the first food restaurant built at the Poro Point Baywalk, Savie’s became the “go-to” for Baywalk visitors. People come over and enjoy the food at Savie’s after they finish their Baywalk activities, such as jogging, walking, biking, and the likes. Savie’s offers a wide variety of food, including its specialties Seafood Medley, Honey Chicken, and Boodle Fight. There is also a live band every Friday and Sunday, best enjoyed with Savie’s variety of cocktails and other drinks. Savie’s was eventually tagged as the “best boodle fight food” in La Union. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic came, Savie’s was not spared from the economic struggles that came along with the health crisis. Thinking that the lockdown would only last for a couple of weeks, it went on and on and downed its regular and usual stocks. As the months passed by and the lockdown was not lifted, Savie’s gave its remaining stocks to its staff. More months went by, and things became harder as pandemic mercilessly put down the businesses in La Union and weakened the spirits of business owners. Geline had no chance but to sadly let go half of her staff. Seriously wounded economically, Geline never gave up. She had to think of ways to keep her business afloat and running. Just like most food establishments during this pandemic, Geline soon shifted to online selling. She converted her house into a makeshift kitchen to cater to her online orders. Initially, she offered food
trays and ‘bilaos,’ which were only available for her specialties Seafood Medley and Honey Chicken. After which, she expanded her online menu and included Garlic Buttered Chicken, Lasagna, and Puto Cheese. This paved the way for Geline to be known virtually throughout La Union. People started to order food from Geline online, and her business received more orders day after day. When the government allowed restaurants to open, Savie’s was able to open partially, strictly following the prescribed health protocol. It became a struggle because the restrictions would change every now and then. But Geline was determined to keep the restaurant going despite the hard times. She continued selling online and promoted the restaurant’s online and physical store. As the Province of La Union eased restrictions this March 2022, Savie’s was finally able to fully open once again. Savie’s now includes food trays and ‘bilaos’ in its new menu and still continues