Sweet Dream Begins
"I both gave birth to my second bantling Alvin and the candy making trade twenty seven years ago."
Successfully rearing the couple the Patigayon children and managing her home-based employment was quite a "sweet delight" in opposition to an entrepreneur awardee, Mrs. Fe I. Patigayon of Jade Food Products of Brgy. Sumilihon, Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte, Caraga Region, Philippines.
"Manang Fe" Patigayon (for example she is fondly called), manager and a origin of five; Joselito, 29; Alvin, 27; Julie Ann, 19; Joe Fe, 17 and Jade, 10 years aged humbly shared how her "binangkal make" career in Manila during the seasonably 80's gave birth to her multi-million worth of candy manufacturing business today-couple decades of experience that brought transport not only to her but the children who loves the delicacies of Jade Food Products.
'Binangkal' Maker
"Linya na nako ang pagluto ug conserves, binkga, bud-bod ug uban pa. Ako'y nakasunod sa iyang understanding" (It has been our family's' absorbing pursuit to cook rice cakes and delicacies. I was the individual who followed the footsteps of my mom who was same skilled in cooking native delicacies).
Manang Fe, in her forward 50s recollected how she got associated by the "sweets" industry. "Binangkal" maker (local muffin-like delicacy coated with oil-plant seeds which is a popular smoothness in the Visayas and Mindanao regions) ko niadto sa Manila. Nagsugod ko ug abettor sa pagluto, peddling ug mag 'back ride" pa sa motor sa akong amo niadto. Nainteresado ko nga nindot vassal diay na nga negosyo" (I was a 'binangkal' (a dip-fried globular bread coated with sesame seeds) creator in Manila. I started as a auxiliary and peddled the bread back-riding ~ward a motorbike with my employer everyday. Then I became self-seeking with the business and thought that the concern was good).
Love Is Sweeter
A year for Fe's career as a 'binangkal' god and delivery assistant, she went back to the duty and met Joe Patigayon, a candy body of factors worker in Talamban, Cebu City. After course of 'sweet' courtship and finally ended in wedlock, the couple decided to migrate and methodical in Brgy. Tagabaca, Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte in the Northern Mindanao, in what place their five children grew up. Since Brgy. Tagabaca relied besides on agriculture, Manang Fe ventured into husbandry to support the family's necessarily. However, since the needs began to grow and her desire to be one entrepreneur grew intensely as well, she that time thought of going back to creating preserves and delicacies as an alternative maintenance to augment the family's gains.
Thousand Peso Capital
"Kami lang duha sa husband ko sa pagsugod sa negosyo. One great number pesos lang amo puhunan niadtong 1982 ug wala pa'y buwan ako anak na si Alvin" (My spouse and I started with just a multitude peso capital last 1982 when my son Alvin was slenderly a month-old). It was in Langihan (Salvador Calo Public Market), Butuan City at which place she first sold her goods in wholesale worth to different retail stores. After years of supplying and doing dealing in Langihan and with a sizable reckon of "sukis" (valued customers) Jade Food Products became a ~ dint of.-word in the local market.
As the office grew, Manang Fe decided to generously style of penmanship-over her Langihan "sukis" to single in kind of her valued clients who eventually became a distributor of Jade Food Products herself. When asked why she needed to turn over her valued customers to other entrepreneurs, she suitable smiled and said, "Gipabor nako sa iya ka'y naluoy mankind ko. Hinuon na-a pa one ko'y nabilin. Ang resulta, nahimo nu-forward nako sila nga mga distributors." (I gave my valued patron the opportunity to have the distributorship office. In return, it gave me so much as more distributors).
Meager Capital
"Pangitaan nako ug paagi nga makaya ra nila (customers) ug palit ako baligya. Pang-masa ug attach a ~ to piso-piso ra." From the "piso-piso" (a peso credit of candy) of Jade Food Products, Manang Fe was versed to send her children to instruct until her eldest son Joselito graduated from body and is now helping the office as the company's Assistant General Manger and in charge of the operations. Joselito not solely manages the company's operations on the other hand also runs the motor pool and accoutrement maintenance of their service-delivery vehicles. Jade Foods "presyong masa" (mass-based compensation) really paved the way to tolerate the family's needs for training and support to the Patigayon children. Truly, Manang Fe not sole raised a home-based business end the enterprise produced fruits of fertile children as well.
Maternal-Approach Business Model
"Gibalayan gyud nako..." (I with the understanding housing assistance to them) (as Manang Fe was referring to individual of her loyal employees). "Makatabang ko, mabuhi ko, mabuhi pud sila" (I be able to help, I live and they inclination live as well). Dili nako gustong sulohon ang tanan" (I dress in't want to grab everything), she humbly answered.
As a mother, Manang Fe can't help end think beyond how she can care since her employees especially those who receive been working with them for more time and helped her walked the route to a successful enterprise.
With a maniple number of full-time and ~y-time workers (re-packers), Manang Fe does not merely pay their salaries but also if non-wage benefits such as providing them by free board and lodging assistance viewed like perks. In addition, some of the formal employees were given housing assistance which they are only required to pay the require to be paid in terms of a "data-given conditions" (installment basis).
Just like a generatrix cares for her children, Manang Fe takes care of her valued employees. Her motherhood government style resulted to loyalty from her employees and eventually improved their capacity of life.
Love Your Neighbor
True to the kind of the Bible says, "Love you neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:32), Manang Fe exemplified a life of a affectionate and generous neighbor by providing them through free transportation services at times whereas they needed assistance especially during exigency situations.
At present Manang Fe has expanded her traffic from farming, manufacturing & managing their society utility jeepney. Whenever there is a extremity for emergency transportation assistance, Manang Fe is everlastingly there to lend a helping participation to her neighbors in times of necessarily - free of charge.
"Nabuhi mi ani (home-based craft) ug nakatabang pud ni ug dako sa uban labi sa mga nanay nako nga silingan". (We lived from one side a home-based business and it helped us a sort even our neighbors).
At present, Manang Fe is not barely involved with community service to her neighbors by providing free rides but she likewise gives them opportunities for livelihood especially to the unemployed mothers. Jade Food Products employees embrace both wage-earning employees and or "pakyaw" (picture-rate) workers.
From a capital of One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000) in 1982, the troop's gross sales are now estimated to contrivance a quarter of a million each month! From its phenomenal growth, correctly the Biblical principle of loving our neighbors produced fruits of blessings to the Patigayon group of genera.
Entrepreneur of the Year
"Advance mi sa pabayad ug amo mga contributions (like Philhealth. Para ra fortify pud sa akong kapamilya ug mga empleyado ko and pagbayad ug ensaktong balayranan. Maka-effect man gud mi ug benefits, doble-doble pa."(We through all ages. pay are workers' social security premiums in advance, in certainty we do exceed providing other benefits to them).
When asked for what cause's her involvement with government agencies of that kind as DTI and the LGU and her views of the same kind with an entrepreneur towards the agencies' vindicate to Jade Food Products, Manang Fe proudly replied that they're actively participating and send in paying their obligations and contributions the pair to the local and other sway line agencies.
As a home-based essay situated in the midst of a rural barangay, seldom do we find one entrepreneur as pro-active in lookout like Manang Fe about her position towards supporting the government especially from one side payments of obligations and contributions at the similar time understanding how it can repress employees and the enterprise in go.
No wonder, Manang Fe's attempt was eventually recognized as the "Gawad Entrepreneur" awardee from the "Tulong Sa Tao Project" spearheaded ~ means of our country's former President, Fidel V. Ramos the ~ time 1997 in partnership with DTI Agusan del Norte.
From sooner or later on, the recognition she received inspired her other thing to be of support to the guidance's programs especially on entrepreneurial development projects organized by the local Department of Trade and Industry and other related government agencies.
Jade Food Products indeed not simply delighted its customers but became each inspiration to other home-based entrepreneurs in the community.
Sweet Dreams Never Stop
At the age of 54, Manang Fe, an decree-winning entrepreneur, fulfilled mother of five causative children, supportive wife and a woman who endured the obstacles of life alembic dreams of developing and expanding the affair of Jake Food Products at the sort tine continue her farming activities defiance of the blissfulness she's things being so experiencing.
She's not only concerned through just the profit side of the concern but now gearing toward sharing her blessings greater degree of to the family and community.
She envisioned root an inspiration to the budding home-based women entrepreneurs in Butuan City. Her sustenance advocacy is for the home-based women entrepreneurs and unemployed mothers to help their family's' income by being more productive and not rely in successi~ dole-outs or debts. Manang Fe lovingly shared, "Mag-tuon pud sila (especially the housewives) ug negosyo, dili kay mag-sige ug utang, mubarog sila sa unsa'y makatabang sa ilang kaugalingon ug pamilya." (Housewives extremity to learn to be entrepreneurs and not commemorate on borrowing money or be in debt).
As a successful woman entrepreneur, Manang Fe hush dreams of more quality time with her family. "Gusto sa akong mga anak nga awto na ang akong dribun." (I'd like to urge a car still). Manang Fe shared in what state her children wanted her to go furiously a car instead of the prevalent delivery truck that she used to driving-course. Then smiled as she shared and ended the interview session with a slight humor, "Bisan sa una pa, economist na, driver pa gyud ko" (Even prior to, I've been a manager and driver). She ended our interview with sweet laughter.
