Category: Feature Stories

SATURDAY, 3:30 AM—a time when everyone sleeps soundly after a tiring workweek. But not for TSPI employees who were up to join Walk for Life at the Quirino Grandstand.   Organized by Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas, Walk for Life was a demonstration of people who believe that life is a gift from God, and that we are called to protect and preserve it. Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI) Executive Director Eduardo Mendoza led the organization in participating in this event.  … Continue reading “TSPI WALKS FOR LIFE”

WHEN TYPHOON Glenda tore through Calabarzon in 2014, the province of Quezon was among the heaviest hit. Nanay Gina Mernilo, a mother of three from the town of Macalelon, said the water system in their barangay was one of the casualties, and it made things very difficult for the already struggling community. “Since then, we had to buy water,” she said.  “And for three pesos per container and five containers a day, that’s around P450 a month, which is too … Continue reading “WITH WATER, HOPE FLOWS”

THE SERENE waters of Tayabas Bay would sometimes peek in between the coconut trees dotting the horizon in Catanauan, Quezon. A six-hour drive from Manila, the first-class municipality stands on gently rolling hills, so fertile that almost every household depends on the land for sustenance, from copra production to rice farming. But for farmer Tatay Fortunato Mendoza, a TSPI Programang Pang-agrikultura (TPP) client since 2012, harnessing the richness of the soil is far from easy.  For one, his community’s experience … Continue reading “EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES”

WE USUALLY have a stereotype of a typical small town Filipino farmer—hardworking, skillful, and yet poor.  He tills the soil, sows the seeds of food staples, and provides not only for his family but for a hungry nation in need of sustenance.  And the cycle goes on, leaving the small farmer, content with just providing enough food for his family but not exactly earning the income required to uplift his way of living. What he doesn’t realize is that he … Continue reading “THE FARMER IS A BUSINESSMAN”

2008 is a year that Nanay Annabel “Mayeth” Bonsol would rather forget.  Her husband, a barangay councilor, was fatally shot after a political altercation, and her childhood home in Bauan, Batangas was foreclosed by the bank. Up until then, she has had modest success in her ecobag and rug business, which she started in 1999 with a loan from TSPI and a rented sewing machine.  But the twin tragedies drained her resources, and the stress from the ordeal weakened her … Continue reading “WHEN HAPPINESS FINDS YOU”

TSPI STAR Program graduates with their TESDA instructors Alfaisal Madueno and Bella Lanado, and Project Officer Marie Ballera THE TECHNICAL Skills and Training Development Authority of the Philippines (TESDA) and Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI) organized the closing ceremony of TSPI’s pilot batch of client attendees for Coca-Cola Philippines’ Sari-sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) program.  The ceremony was held at the TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig City last May 7.  The entrepreneurship program is part of Coca-cola’s … Continue reading “TSPI CLIENTS GRADUATE FROM STAR PROGRAM”

SIXTEEN members of the CFPA Microfinance Management Ltd. (CFPAMF), a microfinance institution based in Beijing, China, visited the country to conduct insight visits with various local MFIs in the Philippines.  The delegation was composed of selected managers and supervisors from its pool of branch personnel, engaged in branch operations, training, customer service, and information technology. Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI) assisted the Chinese delegation in an exposure visit in its Antipolo branch, where they were able to observe branch processes … Continue reading “CHINA-BASED MFI VISITS TSPI ENTREPRENEURS”

When TSPI unveiled its new Discipleship Formation Program in mid-2015, people were initially lukewarm to the idea. Some even asked, “Do you plan to turn us into pastors?” Their fears were soon allayed when Mario Galvez Jr. and the rest of the TSPI discipleship team explained the rationale behind Landas ng Alagad ni Kristo tungo sa Buhay na Araw-araw Yumayabong, or LAKBAY (Filipino for ‘journey’). As part of TSPI’s new service paradigm, LAKBAY aims to emphasize the primacy of spiritual … Continue reading “BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY”

MANY SMALL Filipino enterprises are born out of a livelihood skill, a bright idea, or a strong drive to sell products to address the needs of the market.  Fortunately for some of these small enterprises, being creative and innovative sets them apart from the rest and proves to be critical in their success. A concrete example of an innovative entrepreneur is Beatriz Sibayan, a 52-year-old handicraft manufacturer from Pangasinan, a northern Philippine province known for its vast array of indigenous … Continue reading “INNOVATE TO CREATE”

FOR MANY, a zigzag road is symbolic of a long and winding journey that can be compared to a difficult life.  But for 36-year-old Edita Muhi, she considers living beside the zigzag road as a blessing, despite the many challenges. Ironically, for Nanay Edita, she opened up a small business along the Old Zigzag Road located at the foot of the Quezon National Park, which gives you a preview of her difficult life. “My business is a canteen, a sari-sari … Continue reading “LIFE’S MANY ZIGZAGS”