Milit Baron had always known she belongs to the hotel and food industry. As a young girl, what she enjoyed most during parties were the tiny details that would make them a success. She could be found acting as the host—taking care of the guests while keeping an eye on what goes on at the back. Many years later, her childhood aspirations have been fully realized. Milit is now the President and CEO of the Manila Catering Corporation (MCC), a local award-winning food commissary services provider. Her journey, however, began with a life-altering moment in July 8, 1989.

On the way to a function hosted by the then Mayor of Tarlac, a drunken driver smashed into the passenger side of their car. The accident left her incapacitated for two months and had cost her the vision of her right eye and broke her pelvic bone into eight pieces. After undergoing four major surgeries and spending two months in traction, she then had to face the possibility of being wheelchair bound for the rest of her life.

To aid her recovery, the doctor advised her to divert her attention by going after her passions. Her husband knew of her dreams of going into food service before she had decided to become a full-time farmer’s housewife. Being both open to a good challenge, the couple set their minds on opening their first restaurant in Malabon.

Bedridden but more hopeful than ever, Milit did what she had always done best: plan each and every detail of her new project—what food she would serve; which plates she would get. Every morning, she would wake up with her head teeming with fresh ideas. As soon as she was released from the hospital, she headed straight to Quiapo, still on her crutches, to see for herself the equipment she would need for the restaurant. Her determination kept the pain at bay, and after a mere four months of recuperation, she surprised everyone, including her doctor, by walking unassisted to the clinic.

Soon after, Milit opened “Mr. Spoon”, a humble mom-and-pop burger joint in Malabon. It was an instant success. Eventually expanding into accepting small catering orders from its regulars, she is always quick to share that her first delivery service is a simple pedicab. Milit’s dedication and passion for her business grew stronger, impressing her clients with her good taste and consummate service. Corporate clients started coming in. While catering for Citibank, the country manager mentioned that her catering reminded him of the “Old Manila’s” grandiose style of celebration. And with that, Mr. Spoon evolved into the Manila Catering Services.

A believer of Total Quality Management, Milit became an advocate of continuous improvement and sustainable quality. Her market grew and the company expanded into serving low-cost carriers, convenience stores, major supermarkets, coffee shops, and other institutional accounts. Exhibiting keen business acumen, she also recognized the ASEAN integration as an opportunity to form alliances with potential partners from the neighboring countries. That is why, among its competitors, only MCC had the foresight to ensure the readiness of its facilities and products to meet the strict Halal standards.

Through all of this, Milit is guided by the core values of Pagmamalasakit or Genuine Concern in her journey for excellence in all aspects of the business: customers, employees, stakeholders, environment, and community. It has been a long arduous road, but Milit still stands strong—proving that everyone can achieve their dreams through sheer willpower, passion for quality, and unwavering faith.