I've learned what halo halo is as well as ensaymada are here on Hive, and I think more countries should use purple yam in their desserts. Ube makes everything such a beautiful color, plus it's delicious. Sorry you couldn't make it to the party, but also what nice gift from your friend.
There sure are a lot of ube-flavored desserts... <3 Have you ever tried some? And yeah... too bad, but we did enjoy his gift. haha
I've had few purple sweet potato snacks, especially when we lived in Ecuador, there are hundreds of potato varieties there, but I don't know if the ones I've eaten are exactly the same species as you have in the Philippines.
There's just one way to find out... hahah.. Welcome to the Philippines!!! <3 ^^
It's definitely on my list, will be much easier when we're back in Cambodia. Air Asia flights are super cheap.