Concocting the alternatives “It is not about the capital. It’s about what your heart desires.” This is what Ms. Lucrecia Magno Neri, or Luz as her friends call her, from Midsayap, North Cotabato keeps on saying as she recalls how her entrepreneurial journey began. A former development worker in a non-government organization (NGO), Luz ventured continue reading : North Cotabato: Manna’s Alternative Herbal Products

COFFEE ROAST TO BOAST In the southern reach of Mindanao lies the hinterland Purok Pluto, where coffee farms are found essential to the livelihood of over 150 farmers who reside in Sitio Balutakay, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Located at the peak of the mountains in Davao Del Sur, Purok Pluto serves as a haven to continue reading : Davao Del Sur: Balutakay Coffee Farmers’ Association (BACOFA)

Leveling up the spice of life Rexaniel Saburnido, the man behind the bottled palapa in Iligan City, always wanted to set up a business, despite having limited capital and resources on hand. He took this as a challenge and decided to test the waters by putting up his own restaurant, which he called Pater Al-Kuwait. continue reading : Lanao del Norte: Pater Al-Kuwait Foods Manufacturing

Baking a Hit Recipe Instead of taking a rest upon retirement, Ester Perez ventured into a business to sustain herself and remain productive. Upon her retirement, she put up a small bakery in her hometown Guisao, Zamboanga City in 2009. The bakery, initially employing just one baker, only offered pandesal. As the bakery grew, it continue reading : Zamboanga City: Baking a Hit Recipe

UPROOTING POVERTY THROUGH COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT Long regarded as a poor man’s crop, cassava now brings pride and stable livelihood in Dapitan City, a third class city on the northeastern coast of Zamboanga del Norte. These starchy tubers growing in tropical climates are made into crunchy, mouth-watering snacks that are sold in parts of Luzon, Visayas, continue reading : Zamboanga del Norte: Cassava Growers and Processors Association