In November 1985, when the Lechon Manok craze was sweeping the nation, Dwight and Dolores Salcedo pooled P5,000 from their savings and borrowed another P5,000 from their parents to put up their own kiosk. They named it Baliwag Lechon Manok, after Dolores’ hometown of Baliwag, Bulacan.

Over the years, they have added other well-loved items into their menu such as liempo and chicharon. They have also expanded their food business to include restaurants and fast food outlets.

The simple and grounded ways with which the couple has handled their business have allowed Baliwag to become one of the most iconic Filipino brand names nearly 25 years after it was started and, God willing, for decades more.

Born and raised in Baliwag, Bulacan, Dolores believed that the mention of her hometown evoked memories of true Filipino food and hospitality. She said, “If the name can have that same effect on the ordinary Filipino, the business just might have a good chance of succeeding.”