Heart Evangelista with her dog Panda | Image: Instagram/@pandaongpaucoescudero
Heart Evangelista extended some love to Yoda, the aspin (asong Pinoy) that was denied entry to a Filipino restaurant because of her “breed and size.” The actress hinted at the desire to “invite” the latter for tea with her pet aspin, Panda.
Evangelista took to Instagram to share a photo of Panda and wrote in her caption, “Aspin Society Elite Pres. [Panda Ongpauco Escudero] Sending LOVE to Yoda.”
Image: Instagram/@iamhearte
In Panda’s Instagram account, which is run by Evangelista herself, she then posted another photo with the caption, “Anong walang breed???! Mas may breeding pa ako sa inyo ha. Loka mga ‘to. Hello sa mga kasali sa Aspin Society Elite. #wagako #aspinsocietyelite #presidentpanda #notodiscrimination.”
Evangelista replied in the comments section now using her Instagram account, “#AspinSocietyELITE of the Elite!! Go anak. Mind your [vocabulary], Sayang ang masters degree.”
“Invite mo na anak si Yoda for high tea!” she added in a separate comment.
Image: Instagram/@pandaongpaucoescudero
Over the weekend, Balay Dako, a restaurant in Tagaytay, drew the ire of the public and its patrons after turning down a customer who wanted to dine there with her pet aspin, Yoda. The restaurant recently issued an apology, asserting that they are a “company that loves animals,” who also needs to ensure the safety of their guests.
Netizens, including the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), perceived the incident as a “discrimination” towards the native dogs.
“This incident is particularly disheartening as it underscores the persistence of harmful stereotypes and unjust biases against our very own native dogs,” the non-profit organization said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Evangelista previously addressed the criticism after she adorned Panda with a diamond-encrusted neckpiece from a luxury brand worth P11 million, a move that some followers claimed sent an insensitive and “tone deaf” message to the public.
Panda is a pet rescued and was adopted by Evangelista in 2015 after her father found it in Batangas.