Category: Feature Stories

PRACTICALLY everywhere in Bicol, endless rows of coconut trees seem to dominate the landscape.  Some TSPI clients are seizing opportunities from this abundance to help transform once-sleepy communities into thriving areas of business. From the upland town of Manito in southeastern Albay, the Mayon Volcano towers above Legazpi City and the serene gulf.  The view is one-of-a-kind, but some barangays, like Cabacongan, suffer from a chronic lack of job opportunities aside from copra production and soft broom making. “If you’d go … Continue reading “HOPE FROM COCO HUSKS”

MEMBERS of various Nepal-based microfinance institutions (MFI) recently visited the country to study the microfinance practices and the regulatory system of microfinance in the Philippines.  The Centre for Self-help Development (CSD) and the Rural Microfinance Development Centre (RMDC), two organized MFI networks in Kathmandu, were recently in the country to be a part of a week-long exposure visit organized by the Microfinance Council of the Philippines (MCPI). Part of the exposure trip is a visit to the Bangko Sentral ng … Continue reading “TSPI HOSTS STUDY TOUR FOR NEPAL MFIs”

  TATAY DANILO Flores of Valencia, Bukidnon barely finished high school and had no land of his own to till.  But because he was born to farming parents and taught the ways of the land at a young age of 12, there was no way he can escape his fate, which turned out to be sweet. Since 2007, Tatay Danilo has been harvesting an average of 350 cavans of rice from the three hectares he maintained as a tenant.  Eventually, … Continue reading “FROM FARMER TO LANDOWNER”

  LIKE MOST people in Luisiana, Laguna, Nanay Purificacion “Puring” Tagulinao has grown quite familiar with the pandan tree all her life. According to estimates, around 1,300 households in the small town derive their livelihood from the tree as planters, weavers, or handicraft makers.  It was through Nanay Puring’s partnership with TSPI, however, that opened up opportunities, not just for her and her family, but also for the entire community. Nanay Puring grew up surrounded with pandan.  The palm-like tree … Continue reading “WHEN FAMILIARITY BREEDS OPPORTUNITY”

OPPORTUNITY International Australia, together with its partner organization Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI), recently organized a visit to the Philippines for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), to see the impact of microfinance to small entrepreneurs in the country. Mr. Michael Bergmann, DFAT’s Assistant Secretary in the NGO and Volunteers Branch, visited a client center meeting in Taguig City and was able to observe how TSPI client groups make their weekly loan repayments.  Mr. Bergmann also learned how … Continue reading “AUSTRALIAN GOV’T MEETS WITH TSPI CLIENTS”

Many years ago, she had a vision to someday have all her ducks in a row—a happy family, a big house, a nice car, and money to spend for retirement.  Instead, what she got was a long line of fish—waiting to be manufactured, bottled, and exported to top Filipino food stores located on foreign soil. For successful microentrepreneur Teresita Valdez, this “fish in a row” comes as a welcome replacement for the ducks that she initially wanted.   After 41 years … Continue reading “12th CMA National Winner Teresita Valdez: HER FISH IN A ROW”

“Hindi lang tayo nanghihiram. At least, sa mga ganitong events, nakakatulong tayo sa kapwa at nakikilala natin yung mga kasama natin dito sa TSPI.  Na-enjoy mo na yung life mo, at the same time, nagiging healthy pa tayo [We are not just borrowers.  At least, through events like this, we are able to help others and we also get to know our fellow clients and the TSPI staff.  You get to enjoy while you also become healthy].” This was how … Continue reading “FLOOD-PRONE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM TAKBO, INDAK, TANIM”