In 1965,
Alfonso Sarayba, Sr., whom family and friends called Ponso,
bought 8 hectares of fishpond in the town of Kawit, Cavite.
Fishponds were considered especially good sources of income,
but Ponso wanted to transform his fishpond into something
different. What he had in mind was building a housing subdivision
over land he was going to reclaim from it.
Despite
numerous obstacles and relatives' thinking him crazy, Ponso
was not discouraged. He borrowed money from friends to raise
enough capital for his business plan. This was considered
a pioneer undertaking then because land reclamation was not
the usual practice at the time.
During the
construction of the housing subdivision, someone thought of
opening an eatery. The fish were plentiful and the workers
needed to eat. Ponso opened the restaurant and named it after
his wife, Josephine, whom many called Josie.
On December
22, 1966, the first Josephine Restaurant opened to the public.
The people came in droves. They were eager to leave the hectic
city life in Manila to enjoy the provincial air that boosted
their appetite for fresh seafood.
Josie took
over the entire business and imparted her culinary skills
to her growing number of employees. JOSEPHINE RESTAURANT,
The Home of Fresh Seafood became the family's major line of
business.
Encouraged
by the restaurant's success, Ponso and Josie soon opened the
resort in May 1967. It was constructed on the opposite side
of the fishpond from the restaurant. Josephine Restaurant
later branched out to the cities of Cubao in 1972, Baclaran
in 1973, Pasay in 1976, Makati in 1979, Greenhills in 1986
and Tagaytay in 1995.
Josephine
Resort was also one of the first resorts outside of Manila.
Schoolchildren from the city jammed into schoolbuses to take
the historical tour of Kawit, where Philippine Independence
was declared on June 12, 1898. They also enjoyed going to
Josephine Resort for row boating, horseback riding, biking,
swimming, bowling, skating and eating at Josephine Restaurant.
Throughout
their years in business, Ponso and Josie met politicians,
show business personalities and business moguls but always
kept a low profile. Josie tried to teach her family the value
of humility and frugality.
Today, 40
years later, Josephine Restaurant ages gracefully with time.
There still is that provincial gentility people seek out and
enjoy at Josephine Restaurant. The fishpond is especially
placid as it reflects those famous Philippine sunsets. Patrons
view it best from the restaurant balcony, the same balcony
where Ponso used to sit and enjoy the fine home cooking tradition
of his wife Josie. |
