Category: Feature Stories

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”

  IT ALL starts with a piece of land, a passion for farming, and a dream of living a comfortable life.  But for most small Filipino farmers, the land and the passion have always been there as staples but the comfortable life that they long for remains a dream. But in the case of Tatay Samuel Ejan, a 56-year-old palay farmer from Barangay Taposo in Candelaria, Zambales, he has learned to explore the available opportunities that life has to offer … Continue reading “REAPING A GOOD HARVEST WITH SOIL ANALYSIS”

I grew up with the idea that fashion is a highly competitive and glamorous world, with waif-like, picture perfect models and members of the elite class for its citizens.  Maybe this is partly true, but what I saw from the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Sikat Pinoy National Fashion Fair at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall showed me a different side of fashion. For TSPI’s second Lakbay Aral, the Planning and Business Development Team invited clients whose businesses … Continue reading “WATER LILY BAG MAKER AT THE SIKAT PINOY NATIONAL FASHION FAIR”

Before engaging in slipper manufacturing, Nanay Jocelyn and her husband worked in a footwear factory. Determined to earn more for their family, the couple started their slipper manufacturing business in 2005. According to Nanay Jocelyn, she realized that it was a good business choice as the industry was growing in their locality. At the start of the enterprise, Nanay Jocelyn had a weekly sales of Php24,000 with a P2,000 net income. They didn’t have workers then. But as the business grew, the demand for quality … Continue reading “STEP-IN TO SUCCESS”

When Nanay Corazon first observed a TSPI center meeting in 2008, she thought it was a prayer meeting. She asked one of the members, “What are you talking about under the tree?” She was curious to know why the group was praying and were very happy. At that time, Nanay Corazon was working as a sewer and did not want a loan. Her friends were asking her to join the group however she was fearful of the responsibility of borrowing. … Continue reading “SEWING IN FAITH”