In 1987, the country was literally "thirsty." The economy was struggling; power shortages led to daily brownouts; and the cost of living was rising faster than wages. For the common mamamayan , a lumpia was a luxury—a contested item at fiestas, a rare source of protein and crunch.
Vinegar ( suka ) is a preservative. It is sour, acidic, and sharp. Water ( tubig ) is neutral and life-giving. To "water" something with vinegar is an act of cruel irony. You are giving it liquid, but you are giving it the wrong liquid—one that burns. diligin ng suka ang uhaw na lumpia -1987-
So, the next time you stare at a plate of cold, leftover lumpia, hear the whisper of 1987. Pick up the bottle. In 1987, the country was literally "thirsty
Rumor has it that after completing "Turumba" (1981), Tahimik sketched a surreal short film titled "Ang Uhaw na Lumpia" . The plot, allegedly scribbled on a banana leaf and kept at the Baguio Creative Collective, involved a talking spring roll that roams the streets of post-EDSA Manila, looking for a glass of water. The spring roll, representing the middle class (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside), approaches various figures: a corrupt politician, a homeless street child, a nun. It is sour, acidic, and sharp
In the fourth stanza, Lumang Grasa lamented: "Ang aking puso ay parang lumpiang walang laman, Nakatengga sa pinggan, nilalanggam ng pagdududa. Halika, Binibini, bigyan mo ng tubig ang uhaw kong halaman…" To which Binibining Suka famously retorted: "Diligin ng suka ang uhaw na lumpia! Mas mabuti pang mapanis ang lahat, Kaysa mabulok sa tamis ng pagpapanggap." The crowd erupted. The line became an anthem for the "sawi" (heartbroken) and the cynical. The year it was immortalized in the UP literary folio "Daluyong" was, of course, . Part IV: Theory 3 – The Culinary Zeitgeist (The Most Likely Truth) Occam's Razor suggests the simplest answer is often correct. In 1987, a popular turo-turo (street food stall) in Quezon City called "Aling Sosing's" had a menu hack.
A columnist for The Manila Times (July 12, 1987) wrote a humorous piece titled "How to Save a Dried Lumpia." The closing line was: "Kung uhaw ang lumpia mo, huwag mag-atubiling diligan ng suka. – 1987."