Unique bond forged as Marcos shares halo-halo recipe with Emperor Naruhito

TOKYO – How does a Filipino visitor give the emperor of Japan the gift of halo-halo when the monarch may only eat food prepared by his chef?

According to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., give Emperor Naruhito a tall glass with which to enjoy the Philippine dessert of mixed fruits, milk, and ice. Throw in a long spoon, and the recipe for good measure, and one seals an "intimate connection" between the two leaders and their countries.

"So yung emperor ng Japan kumakain pala ng halo-halo. Hindi lang kumakain; paborito ang halo-halo. So ’yan ang intimate connection ngayon natin,” Marcos said with a laugh, as he told the story to the Filipino journalists who covered his visit to this city.

Marcos said Naruhito told him at a previous international event that he had Filipino friends "from a long time ago" who made him eat halo-halo, something for which he remembered the Philippines.

He said he gave Naruhito the glass and spoon when he and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos paid the state call on the Emperor and Empress Masako.

Marcos gave the halo-halo recipe to the emperor during the farewell call on Friday.

“Binigyan ko siya ng recipe. Sabihin mo sa chef mo na lutuin ito," Marcos said.

Aside from a fondness for the refreshing Filipino dessert, Marcos said he and the Japanese emperor and empress had other things in common: music and the Oxford experience.

“We talked about our shared experiences in Oxford University, and it turns out mga music lover din pala ‘yung Emperor at Empress. Kaya ‘yun din ang pinag-usapan namin dahil talagang pare-pareho ang mga pinagdaanan din namin. It was a very, shall we say, warm conversation," Marcos said.

Reporters who covered the state call were also pleasantly surprised when, after sending off the President and the first lady after the state call, the emperor and empress approached the media box where reporters were cordoned off and engaged them in small talk—a departure from the usually very strict protocol for the imperial couple. –NB, GMA News