MEET OUR CLIENT: Estela Lagunzad

What would a mother give to feed her family’s hunger for food, knowledge, and music?

Estela Lagunzad and her family have taken root in Tacloban City, Leyte, very near the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center where her husband used to work as a minimum-waged security guard. Besides personally taking care of the family, she had to man their sari-sari (retail) store and, on the side, had sold Natasha, Tupperware, and Avon products. Mindful of their children’s future, she had to find ways to augment her husband’s low income so they can better provide for their children’s needs.

In 2003, the Rural Bank of Dulag (RB Dulag) opened a branch in Tacloban City. Through the bank’s microfinance services, Mrs. Lagunzad was provided with a Php 15,000 loan (US$300) in January 2004. She used the amount as capital in putting up a home-based eatery catering to hospital employees and visitors. [Read more...]

MEET OUR CLIENT: Elino Andres

Mr. Elino Andres is a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who, upon his return home, tried his hand on entrepreneurship. He started by driving a jeepney from which his income proved inadequate, so he shifted to selling fish in the public market. Being naturally charismatic, Mr. Andres accumulated a number of loyal patrons or “suki” who he later discovered were into the poultry business. He took advantage of this connection and started peddling eggs using a motorcycle and a couple of coolers.

Mr. Elino Andres won a Special Award for “exploring new opportunities despite a rare illness” at the 2008 Citi MOTY Awards

Later on, Mr. Andres joined Nestlé’s “Business on Wheels” project, where was lent a tricycle for use in peddling Nestlé products. Having a bigger and better transport at his disposal allowed Mr. Andres to sell the Nestlé products and eggs as well. When the Nestlé project ended, he returned the vehicle to the company, sold his old motorbike, and bought his own tricycle. His mobile store for Nestlé products, eggs, and grocery items was realized and finally rolling.

Mr. Andres innovated even more by using “Text Mo, Deliver Ko” to better serve his customers. This involved placing orders through text and door-to-door product delivery. True enough, he was able to reach more customers, even from the far-flung barangays of Nasugbu, whose groceries could now be delivered right at their doorsteps.

In December 2006, Mr. Andres was introduced to Bangko Kabayan. He got his first loan of Php 5,000 and used it to fund the construction of a concrete retail store. To further diversify his business, he added artificial insemination of pigs and remittance service through Globe GCASH to his list of profit-generating services. At present, he is planning to avail of a retail stall in the public market that is scheduled for construction near their place. Aside from his steadily growing business, he is likewise able to send his daughter to college and financially support his family.

Mr. Andres’s success story becomes even more significant when one discovers that he is suffering from a rare cancer of the blood. How does a small businessman survive such a condition, which entails a monthly medication worth Php 100,000? Fortunately, his doctor registered him with a US-based foundation that now supplies him with his much-needed medicines so he can continue to live, move forward, and prosper.