December 16, 2025 - On the third year of its Balikbayan program, Coca-Cola is not only offering free shipping of 600 free Balikbayan boxes to Greater Toronto Area (GTA) residents, the softdrinks giant is taking a valued partner to the Philippines to hand-deliver a Balikbayan box herself to family she has not seen for over 15 years.
Rosita dela Cruz has owned and operated the Philippine Oriental Food Market in Toronto since 1974. Tita Rosita or Nanay Rosing to many Canadian Filipinos will be visiting the Philippines this Christmas season and delivering her own Balikbayan box to family she has not seen for over 15 years.
In a video released by Coca-Cola, Rosita commented, “I was very young when I last saw them,” mentioning an older sister who fell ill a few years back. “I wasn’t able to go back (to see her),” she tearfully recalled.
On her journey home, Rosita said, “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.”
Coca-Cola’s program honours such family tradition, connection and community among Filipinos. By sponsoring the boxes and free shipping, the program makes it accessible for Canadian Filipinos to send gifts during the holiday season without the burden and hassle of shipping costs.
The 600 custom-designed boxes are available at nine local Filipino-owned stores in the GTA:
Philippine Oriental Food Market - 1033 Gerrard St. E, Toronto
KIKO’s Restaurant - 3770 Bathurst, North York
Pinoy Mini Stop - 794 Wilson Ave., North York
Ba-on Filipino Store - 549 St. Claire Ave W., Toronto
Manila Bakery - 40-C Dundas St. E, Mississauga
Bernard’s Pilipino Specialties - 1534 Queen St. W, Toronto
Tagpuan Restaurant - 707 Kennedy Rd., Toronto
Tagpuan Restaurant - 1740 Victoria Park, Toronto
H’s Beauty Studio - 301 Cook Rd., North York
Once filled, the boxes will be shipped through Atin-Ito Remittance Ltd Cargo Express, a Filipino-owned cargo courier and remittance company in Toronto. Delivery usually takes 12-16 weeks.
Coca-Cola has been a mainstay in Filipino sari-sari stores for over 113 years, exceeded only by the company’s own 139-year history in the beverage business. The iconic Coke bottle is a common fixture in Filipino noche buena (Christmas Eve dinner), media noche (New Year’s Eve spread) and summer family gatherings.
Stephanie Eaddy, Cultural Marketing Lead at The Coca-Cola Company said, “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. It’s such a wonderful tradition…and we’re proud to continue to be part of it.”
Boxes are available first come, first served until supplies last.
About the Author
Rachel Ramos-Reid started writing for magazines and newspapers when she was still a junior at the University of the Philippines’ Communication degree program majoring in Journalism. She continued to write in a public relations/corporate communications capacity in various private and government offices until moving out of the country in 1997 to work as Programme Officer for the arts and culture branch of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-SPAFA) in Bangkok, Thailand. At the end of her term, Rachel found herself immigrating to Canada in the year 2000 and again searching for new beginnings.
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