Charina Marquez was one of the many Filipinos who lost their job amid the global pandemic. Charina was also one of the plenty more Filipinos who decided to pursue a new hobby and make a business out of it.
Now, she is the proud one-woman team behind the online shop Silent Baker Charina, where she proves to all her customers that her disability isn’t a weakness but one that empowers her to do more than anyone would ever think she could.
Charina, who was born deaf, first shared with WhenInManila.com how she discovered her passion for baking. “I used to be a graphic designer, an art restorer, an art teacher, and a sign language teacher,” Charina said. “When I lost my job due to pandemic, I thought of trying different hobbies at home. One of them was baking. My newfound hobby quickly became my passion as it also greatly helped my mental health during pandemic.”
Charina lamented how challenging it was to adapt to the “new normal”, especially for those who are disabled like her.
“Sadly in our country, there are so few opportunities for the disabled. Workplaces are still not open to hiring disabled people hence very difficult for us to find a way to support ourselves and our families,” she expressed. “Pandemic was [also] a particularly difficult time for me since delivery men and people at malls, including the grocery and market, had to wear face masks, making it hard for me to read their lips.”
Because of all this, she wanted to show everyone that she can persist through these hurdles by succeeding in her online pastry business.
“Now, I am an entrepreneur and full-time baker known as The Silent Baker Charina,” Charina said. “I want to empower deaf people, that if I can do it, they can definitely do better and find solutions despite communication barriers.”
The Silent Baker Charina is known best for her basque burnt cheesecakes which truly are delightful to the taste buds! They’re so soft, light, not overly sweet, and oh so addicting. My personal favorite is the Chocolate-covered Basque Burnt Cheesecake Bites, but her Classic Basque Burnt Cheesecake, Ube & Cheese Basque Burnt Cheesecake, crack pie, cheese tarts, and Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting are all worth trying.
Deliveries can be made all over Metro Manila and Laguna. Just send her a message on Instagram, WhatsApp, or Viber to order!
Charina, The Silent Baker
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