Meet the Philippine collector with a super-sized collection of fast-food restaurant toys

Record ID: 1613529

  • Title: Meet the Philippine collector with a super-sized collection of fast-food restaurant toys
  • Date: 28th April 2021
  • Summary: APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FAST-FOOD TOYS PILED UP IN ROOM TOYS IN PILE WITH GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFICATE ON TOP TOYS IN DISPLAY CASE / GUINNESS BOOK DISPLAYED ON BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE, SAYING: "I'm Percival R. Lugue and I'm a collector of fast-food restaurant toys and currently the Guinness World Record holder." APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 21, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOYS ON DISPLAY IN LIVING ROOM CHARLIE BROWN TOY AMONG OTHER TOYS JOLLIBEE TOY VARIOUS OF LUGUE ARRANGING TOYS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE, SAYING: "As far as I can remember when I was still a kid, I've already been collecting toys, not necessarily the fast food toys that I have right now. But I remember having all the toys, playing with them of course, but then I really take good care of them. And then as a young kid I've already known myself to be putting them on display, on cabinets, unlike the other kids who would really tear up their toys into smithereens." APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS TRACKING VIEWS OF TOYS INSIDE HOME APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 21, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE SAYING: "During the 2014 when Guinness asked me to catalogue the collection, I was able to actually archive 10,000 of the toys. So that was probably 2014, six years ago. And after that a lot of toys have been coming here, from friends, and from the visits to the fast-food restaurants, and also from relatives abroad who knew that I'm really collecting them, so they also added up to the collection. Somehow my rough estimate right now would have to be 20,000 or more of the fast-food restaurant toys." LUGUE TAKING OUT HETTY SPAGHETTI TOY (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE, SAYING: "So this is Hetty Spaghetti, I think I got this around 1988. As you can see it's been a long time but if you really take good care of the toy it's going to maintain its pristine condition. Now what makes this so special is the fact that when I got this I was together with my mother whom I love so much and who's very supportive of my collection." VARIOUS OF TOYS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE, SAYING: "So the toy is like a storyteller in itself. For example, it gives me a glimpse of that particular period when I got it, my story, what's going on, what are the incidents that are attached in the acquisition of that particular toy." APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS) LUGUE REMOVING TOY FROM SHELF LUGUE PUTTING ARRANGING TOYS ON TABLE LUGUE LOOKING ON LUGUE SHOWING HAPPY MEAL MUSIC BOX APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 21, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE SAYING: "I always tell my friends, it's just like the feeling of morning Christmas, it's is just like having a new set of toys. Because we have a McDonald's that is very approximate to the office, and whenever I pass by and I see that there is a promotion of new toys, it really gives me a feeling of elation." VARIOUS OF TOYS ON DISPLAY APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - APRIL 25, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAST-FOOD TOY COLLECTOR, PERCIVAL LUGUE SAYING: "In the future I wanted to have a museum of some sort for this fast-food toy collection. And I remember many times when my friends come over and see some of the toys here, they would exclaim 'Oh, I used to have that toy and I used to play around with it,' so I guess if eventually this museum will open this will also give them a chance to revisit their own childhood memories." LUGUE LOOKING AT COLLECTION SNOOPY TOY ON DISPLAY / DORAEMON TOY ON DISPLAY
  • Embargoed: 12th May 2021 01:36
  • Keywords: Guinness Philippines fast food toy collection world record
  • Location: APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES
  • City: APALIT, PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Human-Led Quirky,Human-Led Stories,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EAFPPHJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: From the age of five, Filipino graphic artist Percival Lugue has had a passion for collecting toys from fast-food restaurant chains like McDonald's, Burger King and home-country favourite Jollibee.
    Now, nearly five decades later, the 50-year-old has about 20,000 toys packed from floor to ceiling in his home and holds a Guinness World Record from 2014, when his collection reached more than 10,000 items.
    "The toy is like a storyteller in itself," said Lugue, explaining his hobby while sitting among an eclectic mix of toys in his three-storey home. "It gives me a glimpse of that particular period when I got it, my story, what's going on, what are the incidents that are attached in the acquisition of that particular to."
    Lugue, who lives in Apalit in Pampanga, a province northwest of Manila, built his home especially to house his collection.
    He likens the excitement that getting new toys gives him to Christmas morning.
    He has always played with the toys, but even as a child took good care of them and put them on display "unlike the other kids, who would tear up their toys into smithereens."
    While most of his toys were obtained through personal purchases, some were donated by friends and family. He said he has no idea what the entire collection is worth.
    One of his most treasured pieces is a "Hetty Spaghetti" figurine, a mascot from the Jollibee chain that his mother gave him in 1988.
    His dream now is to eventually put his collection on display for the public or even open a museum to give others "a chance to revisit their own childhood memories."
    (Production: Adrian Portugal, Peter Blaza)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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