FROM THE MARGINS
Last week, I wrote about two remarkable winners of the 3rd Digital Financial Inclusion Awards (DFIA), an initiative celebrating microfinance clients who have harnessed digital solutions to revolutionize their small businesses. There is special kind of joy in writing our clients’ success stories as they inspire hope, reassuring ordinary Filipinos that a better life is always possible. This is also my way of celebrating the microfinance industry’s contribution to nation-building.
Below are more stories of the Citi Foundation and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines’ DFIA winners. I hope that you will find these microentrepreneurs’ innovative transformation as inspiring as I did.
Turning job loss to success
For more than seven years, Maria Jessica Lavarias has been a member of the Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI) in Calasiao, Pangasinan. Her 22 loan cycles from TSPI supported her microenterprise. She also leveraged technology to turn her family recipe into a thriving business. When her husband, Elmer, lost his job during the pandemic, Jessica encouraged him to use his talent in cooking to sell fresh lumpia and chili oil via Facebook. They quickly attracted customers beyond their neighborhood, which inspired them to open "El Bonitas Special," a small canteen promoted through Jessica's social media skills. Orders were managed via Facebook and digital payments channels.
Through her digital marketing efforts, their Facebook followers grew from 1,000 to 6,300, enhancing their reach and community impact. They were able to hire her husband's former co-workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. They now cater to feeding programs in schools and government offices in their area. Jessica’s story highlights how digital transformation can drive both entrepreneurial success and social responsibility.
Humble beginnings
Sukang Cardo, now a well-loved spiced vinegar brand from Iligan City, traces its roots to humble beginnings. Helen Cedullo and her husband, Cardo, started with small ventures—selling fishballs and flowers during Lent. Cardo, a manananggot (coconut sap harvester), sold vinegar to meet their family’s needs, with Ely's Store in Tambacan as their sole customer.
Faced with an oversupply of vinegar, Cardo experimented with spicing it up. After a month of trial and error, Sukang Cardo-Pinahalang was born. Initially sold through consignment with friends, the demand skyrocketed, growing from 300 bottles a day to 500-600 bottles daily. The business flourished as big suppliers and resellers from other provinces came on board. They also expanded into selling spices, opening stores in the market and employing regular workers for production.
Helen credits digital tools for transforming their business. As a member of Serviamus Foundation in Iligan City, she accessed loans to expand. Marketing via Facebook and accepting digital payments enabled them to reach more customers, turning Sukang Cardo into a regional success story.
Beyond her dreams
Layzel Soto never imagined owning a business. After the company she and her partner Mark Louie worked for closed in 2017, she sold vegetables and homemade goods to make ends meet. In 2018, a former buyer encouraged them to start their own coco sugar business. Despite initial hesitation and limited resources, they began with the help of a ₱28,000 loaned oven and a ₱15,000 loan from CARD-General Santos City.
Reinvesting profits, they steadily grew the business, purchasing a truck to handle bulk orders. When the pandemic caused a decline in coco sugar demand, Layzel diversified by adding sinamak (spiced vinegar), turmeric, and salabat to their offerings. Using Facebook, FB Marketplace, and digital payment platforms, they reached a wider audience. Their annual sales dramatically surged, reaching millions by 2022.
With support from DTI seminars and over 20 CARD loans, McZel Food Products now employs 30 people, including indigenous workers and students. Layzel envisions further growth, providing more opportunities for her community and involving her family in business operations.
Digital transformation
Embracing digital solutions can be a game changer for microentrepreneurs. Simple steps like setting up a social media page or using digital payment platforms can open doors to new opportunities and markets. By taking advantage of these tools, microentrepreneurs can enhance customer engagement and boost sales, all while saving time and resources.
Digital marketing, e-commerce platforms, and online payment systems are not just for big businesses—they are accessible and affordable for small enterprises too. As more customers turn to online platforms for convenience, leveraging digital solutions helps businesses stay competitive and relevant.
Let us learn from our DFIA champions, and explore the power of digital transformation to elevate our business – no matter how small - to the next level.
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Misspelled name: In my article, “Honoring Digital Champions,” that was published on Jan. 6, 2025, the name of Citi Philippines Country Head Paul Favila was inadvertently misspelled as “Paul Avila.” I apologize to Mr. Favila and our readers for this mistake.
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“The biggest part of our digital transformation is changing the way we think.”— Simeon Preston
(Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip is a poverty eradication advocate. He is the founder of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually-Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), a group of 23 organizations that provide social development services to eight million economically-disadvantaged Filipinos and insure more than 27 million nationwide.)