Most Inspiring Ilonggo Entrepreneurs Today

Today, is the awarding of the Most Inspiring

Ilonggo Entrepreneurs at the Go Negosyo sa
Iloilo, the latest leg of the continuing Go
Negosyo campaign spearheaded by
Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship
Jose Concepcion III at the Rose Memorial
Auditorium of the Central Philippine University.

The Most Outstanding Ilonggo Entrepreneur

awardees are: Jose Gerardo Guadarrama of
The Original Biscocho Haus, Edgar Sia II of
Mang Inasal, Alfonso Uy of La Filipina Uy
Gongco Corp., Tomas Hautea of Retcem Guadarrama and Sia II

Bangus Hatchery, Arsenio Rafael of A.M.

Builder's Depot and Antonio Steven Chan of the Central Azucarera de San Antonio Inc.

Guadarrama engineered the transition of the Original Biscocho Haus, established by his
parents Dr. Carlos and Teresa Jalandoni Guadarrama in 1975, into a structured corporate
entity at present.

The Original Biscocho Haus is well known for its wide variety of mouthwatering delicacies
like biscocho, butterscotch, meringue, galletas, barquillos, bañadas, broas,
toasted mamon, empanaditas, tarts and a lot more.

From a home-based enterprise when it was established in 1975, the Original Biscocho
Haus has developed into a full-blown business branching out to malls in the city and
other provinces of the region.

Sia known as "Injap" started the famous Mang Inasal almost five years ago. Its first
branch located at Robinsons Place Iloilo became a hit with the masses prompting the
business to open other branches in the city. After two years of operation, Injap opened
up to franchising.

Today Mang Inasal has 71 branches nationwide. Injap's primary goal is to open 100 stores
by the end of 2008 and about 300 stores by 2012.
Injap owns other businesses like Mr. Labada, Deco's Original Lapaz Batchoy and the Four
Season Hotel.

La Filipina started way back in 1901 when Uy's father began a small bakeshop and
grocery store. It developed into a reputable business before World War II after it
diversified into importation and distribution. Business however faltered during the war
eventually prompting Uy to join the family business at the age of 15 after he was told that
his family could not support him through school anymore.

After finishing his chemical engineering degree, magna cum laude, and coming in
second in the board exams, he became manager of their company.

n the ensuing years, various opportunities opened up and they started other businesses
such as sugar mills, shipping services, post-harvest facilities, real estate development,
feeds milling, livestock, and property development services, among others.

Hautea began exercising his entrepreneurial skills when he was still a student. In high
school, whenever he would go on excursions or out of town with his family, he would
buy transistor radios, blankets and other dry goods to sell back home.

During college, he started assembling passenger jeeps, a venture that later grew into a
jeep-conversion business "RETCEM" which stands for the first letters of his family's
names. The business later expanded into auto repairs.

At 18, Hautea also ventured into agriculture and leased fishponds, eventually purchasing
the now family-owned fishpond in Dumangas, Iloilo plus other fishponds in their locality
and neighboring towns.

At the dawn of the new millenium, Hautea ventured into another business—
bangus (milkfish) hatchery.

Now on its second year of operation, the Retcem Bangus Hatchery serves the needs
of bangus farmers in Panay and Negros and annually produces an average of 20
million bangus fry. Retcem also provides bangus eggs to other Panay-based hatcheries
that do not have breeders.

Rafael began working as a clerk in Amon Trading, a business established in 1954 in Iloilo,
at the age of 17. After years of hardwork, he was promoted to salesman then later
became the manager of the company.
After Amon Trading closed down in 1997, Rafael decided to establish his own business
renting Amon Trading's 500 square meter building after making a deal with the company
to consign the remaining inventory in exchange for his retirement pay.

Thus, A.M Builder's Depot was born with him as salesman, his wife as cashier, plus a clerk,
another salesman and his two sons pitching in during their free time.

Now, the former 500 square meter building with four employees has grown into a 6,520
square meter property with 360 employees.

A.M. Builder's Depot already has several branches in different areas in Panay, Kalibo,
Roxas, San Jose (Antique), Numancia (Aklan), Iloilo and Bacolod.

Central Azucarera de San Antonio Inc. (CASA) constitutes an expansion of the Chan
family's sugar milling business started by the family patriarch Antonio "Tony or Achan"
Chan way back in 1979.

CASA was established in Iloilo in 1994 as the Chan family's way of giving back to their
father's place of origin.

Chan does not only focus his business on sugar milling, he is also pushing for the
capitalization and the maximization of the untapped potentials of sugar like biomass
production and engaging in a co-generation project.

Presently, CASA has increased has increased its production capacity, with new sugar mills
in their system.

Prepared by:

PRINCE JESHOA CODERA

Grade 12-Jade
 Ilonggo Balut Vendor Becomes Successful Entrepreneur

The life of Celestino ‘Muroy’ Dalida is truly an inspiration. Initially shared by Append, a non-
government organization, his story was circulated online and offline inspiring people about
hardwork and perserverance. Muroy, through a microfinancing opportunity given by the Taytay
ng Kauswagan, grew his balut business into an entrepreneurial empire. Here is his story.
Born in 1949 in Negros Occidental, Muroy is 4th among 14 children. At a young age, he was
already dependable being the trusted big brother of his siblings. Although he had only finished
first grade, he kept pursuing employment opportunities. He worked at sugar cane plantations
and even as a construction worker. He married at 33 and had seven children.

At a certain time, there was a famine. Even the company he was working for closed down. This
forced him and his family to move away in the hope of a fresh start. The move was also initiated
by someone who offered him employment in Iloilo. Apparently, the person did not show up in
Iloilo. It was tragic for the Dalida family.

Muroy resorted to picking garbage from the streets to earn a living. He also picked up
‘kangkong’ or water spinach so that his family had something to eat. He also tried selling ‘suha’
or calamansi at ‘Super’, Iloilo City’s public market. Muroy also resorted to getting unsold fish at
the market, fish were neither fresh nor spoiled, just to feed his family.

Life was hard for Muroy. Until there was a time he though of selling ‘balut’. Balut is a developing
bird embryo and is a popular Philippine delicacy. Muroy studied how to prepare balut. However,
there was another hindrance. He needed capital. This is where Taytay sa Kauswagan – Append
comes in.

Muroy attended free training and workshops on how to expand his business venture. As of
today, he is the biggest supplier of balut in Iloilo City. He sells 70,000 balut eggs in a week. He
has now 100 regular balut distributors. All of his children finished school, his firstborn also
became the biggest supplier of balut in Panay and also has a construction business on the side.
Muroy now has a three storey home and cars. He was even elected as councilor in their
barangay.

As per Muroy, ‘Salat man ako sa edukasyon hindi ito naging hadlang sa aking mga pangarap. Sa
tulong ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng Append ako ay umasenso’. I may have lacked in my
education but it was never a hindrance to my dreams. Through the help of God, through
Append, I succeeded.
https://andreaguanco.com/ilonggo-balut-vendor-becomes-successful-entrepreneur/
 Ted’s Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy

Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy started from a humble beginning in

1945. Conceptualized by “Teodorico Lepura” or Ted Lepura, Ted’s La Paz
Batchoy serves the “original” La Paz Batchoy to diners who love authentic La Paz
Batchoy. Armed with just Ten Pesos (Php 10.00) on his hand and a working
knowledge on making La Paz Batchoy from his work with a Chinese Merchant,
Ted started his first 5×5 small stall which was simply made of nipa and bamboo in
the public market of La Paz , Iloilo.

The only product served by Ted’s La Paz Batchoy at the time was the “original” La
Paz Batchoy. They developed other batchoy products, to meet customer’s
demand for variety. In the late 60’s new products were added such as Miswa,
Batchoy, Bihon Batchoy and Sotanghon Batchoy.

Ted’s La Paz Batchoy have set the standards in the distinct La Paz Batchoy. Under
the watchful eyes and pioneering efforts of the daughter of Ted’s, Mrs. Adelfa
Borro, the business has grown steadily, and with the help of her husband Mr. Larry
Borro, they managed a business which is now considered as one of the culinary
icons of original ilonggo cuisine. Because of Adelfa Borro, Ted’s La Paz Batchoy
was able to expand in different places of Iloilo as well as in the cities of Roxas
(Gaisano City), Bacolod (Robinson’s Place), and Las Pinas (SM City Southmall).

The company’s first store is still in existence up to this day. To date, Ted’s Oldtimer
Lapaz Batchoy was accepting franchisees and the couple expects all franchisees to
provide hands-on management and to commit themselves to the business and
its concept. They put a premium on constant communication, do spot checks to
ensure that each branch is up to scratch, and invest in research and development
to address the market’s changing needs. They love managing company-owned
outlets but find reward and fulfillment in franchising the business.

https://www.pinoy-entrepreneur.com/2010/08/26/teds-oldtimer-lapaz-batchoy/