3 Female entreps shortlisted for Villar’s Sipag at Tiyaga award

by Marciano A. Paroy Jr.

In celebration of Nacionalista Party’s 100 years of nation building, current party president Sen. Manny Villar came up with the idea of awarding P100, 000.00 to micro and small enterprises that exemplify Sipag at Tiyaga in their business undertaking.

This is to raise public awareness to success stories of ordinary people that were driven by the virtues of perseverance and hard work and went into small business in order to free themselves from poverty. The awardees shall hopefully be role models for others to follow and the cash award shall in a way provide support for the development of their enterprise.

From the city of Tabuk, three female entrepreneurs made the final cut for the regional search: Ms. Nancy Busacay of Baguio entrepreneurial legion is the Bago-Ilokano-Tagalog-Igorot-Cagayano-Kalinga (BITICK) Women’s Organization, Mrs. Marie Chaclag of Ayatu’s Ethnic Crafts , and Mrs. Regina Madio of EY Care and Praj’s Gift Shop.

Last April 10, a validation team arrived to put under scrutiny the three finalists. According to Mr. Jess Battung, representative from the Office of Sen. Villar, “It is quite impressive to note that Tabuk City has a healthy business environment. Tuguegarao City has only one contender for the search, yet your city has three – all women at that.”

Mr. Bonifacio Magalong, the other representative from Sen. Villar’s office, said “For the Tabuk pre-assessment activity, we have pre-identified two prominent figures to help us in the conduct of the face-to-face interview of the three finalists.”

Selected as their partners in the evaluation process were Dr. Maximo Garming, Extension Director of KASC, representing the academe, and Pastor Batac, representing the religious sector.

During the briefing, Mr. Battung instructed their two local partners that “We will interview at least two clients of the entrepreneur, two representatives from the LGU, and finally the entrepreneurs themselves.”

The criteria set composed of the following areas: Employment generation (15%); Sales turnover (10%); Growth in profits (10%); Re-investment of profits (10%); Savings generated (10%); Sipag at Tiyaga record (25%); Impact to community such as enhancement of the quality of life of the citizens/promotion of sustainable development (20%).

Nancy Busacay

Mrs. Nancy Busacay, President of the Bago-Ilokano-Tagalog-Igorot-Cagayano-Kalinga (BITICK) Women’s Organization, is backed by her business organization that was established in 2002. This is a group of women who, according to the BaguioCity.com website, “recognized the need to unite for a mutual aid benefit fund that can assist each other during times of death or sickness. Comprising mostly the population of barangay Dagupan Weste in Tabuk, Kalinga, they were able to accumulate a small amount for loan to its members and eventually a road of opportunity for better income sources. In 2003, they registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and started implementing their livelihood or income-generating projects.”

BITICK started coordinating with the local government unit of Tabuk, Rural Bank of Tabuk and national line agencies for various forms of assistance. Today, they are engaged in food processing, popularizing Tabuk Wine such as rice wine or ‘tapey’ and fruit wine or the ‘bugnay’ wine among local residents and visitors. Berry supplies for the wine are from the Ryan’s Farm in Ipil, Tabuk, owned by Mrs. Corazon Ryan.

Marie Chaclag

Ayatu’s Craft, under the able hands of proprietress Marie Chaclag, has been steadily growing as a force to reckon with in the realm of ethnic products. As a constant fixture in trade fairs, not only within the Cordillera, but outside the region as well (most recently in Metro Manila and in Pampanga), Mrs. Chaclag’s business acumen can be proven by the sustained arrival of orders that underwent stringent quality control by the proprietress herself.

“I have a hands-on involvement in every aspect of production,” Mrs. Chaclag stressed. “And I do generate employment. Think of the women who benefit from the orders of Kalinga native fabrics that we place.”

Mrs. Chaclag is likewise involved in community matters that affect her business directly. She sits as the current secretary of the Kalinga Provincial Tourism Council.

Regina Madio

Mrs. Regina Madio, owner of EY Care and Praj’s Gift Shop, is listed in the online database of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). This is an export promotions agency of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry. Its thrust is to promote the Philippines as a reliable source of high-quality products and services through trade fairs, special exhibits, in-store promotions, trade missions, and other promotional activities here and abroad.

As a manager of her own business, Mrs. Madio, during the interview, said “I have always believed in the ability of the Filipino people to rise up and overcome obstacles that would normally hinder us from attaining our dreams.”

When asked by Mr. Battung about her fair business practices, she simply said “I always give what is due to other people, because it is dangerous to take advantage of others.”

The evaluating group also interviewed clients and barangay leaders, whose words were used to substantiate the statements of the business-owners. The group convened at the office of Dr. Maximo Garming in KASC last April 11 to collate their findings.

The three Tabuk finalists will compete in the regional search. Three qualifiers from CAR shall vie for the top award all the way to the national level.