YYZ ↔ MNL: COCA-COLA BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM RETURNS, CONNECTING LOVED ONES THROUGH HEARTFELT TRADITION

11/25/2025

At the heart of this year’s campaign is Tita Rosita, owner of Toronto’s longest-running Sari-Sari store, the Philippine Oriental Food Market.

For the third consecutive year, Coca‑Cola proudly celebrates the heartwarming joy of Balikbayan - a cherished Filipino tradition that embodies the spirit of giving and connection with loved ones. The Coca‑Cola Balikbayan program makes it easier for Filipino-Canadians to send heartfelt gifts and warm wishes to loved ones in the Philippines, honouring the generosity and enduring bond that define the Filipino community.

CONNECTING LOVED ONES, THOUSANDS OF MILES APART

In partnership with nine Sari-Sari stores in the Greater Toronto Area, Coca‑Cola is providing 600 complimentary, custom-designed Balikbayan boxes for Canadians to Filipino-Canadians wishing to send a Balikbayan box to a loved one in the Philippines this year. Shipping costs are fully covered, making it easy for families to share gifts and essentials with loved ones in the Philippines, no matter the distance.

With support from Atin-Ito, a long-standing Filipino cargo and remittance company in Toronto, each box will be delivered within 12 to 16 weeks, ensuring the holiday spirit reaches families across the Philippines.

“The community’s response to the Balikbayan program over the last two years has been truly inspiring, and we are delighted to bring the program back,” said Stephanie Eaddy, Cultural Marketing Lead at The Coca‑Cola Company. “It’s such a wonderful tradition, full of generosity, love, and togetherness, and we’re proud to continue to be part of it.”

A HEARTFELT REUNION, 15 YEARS APART

At the heart of this year’s campaign is Tita Rosita, owner of Toronto’s longest-running Sari-Sari store, the Philippine Oriental Food Market. Tita Rosita is a beloved figure in the community and known for her warmth and generosity. She has spent decades helping others send Balikbayan boxes to their families, and this year, she will embark on a personal journey to deliver her own Balikbayan box to loved ones in Manila in a surprise reunion that captures the connection, love, and celebration that the Balikbayan program embodies.

“In Tagalog, the word Balik means to ‘return’, and bayan to ‘the country’,” says Tita Rosita, owner of the Philippine Oriental Food Market in Toronto. “I’ve been away for so many years and to bring a Balikbayan box home myself and see my family again, it’s hard to put into words. My heart is so full.” said Tita Rosita.

Toronto Canada

Boxes will be available for in-store pick-up starting in November at the following participating Sari-Sari locations, while supplies last:

Thank you to our partners and their teams—from the Sari-Saris, Tita Rosita, and the de la Cruz family, to the hardworking crew at Atin-ito and our agency collaborators—whose contributions helped ensure the Balikbayan program remains an authentic, culturally grounded celebration of the Filipino-Canadian community.