Four successful entrepreneurs: Stories of resilience, innovation, and hope
Published Feb 23, 2026 12:01 am
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Updated Feb 22, 2026 03:02 pm
FROM THE MARGINS
Success in entrepreneurship is rarely instantaneous. It is built through perseverance, sacrifice, creativity, and the courage to rise after setbacks. Across the Philippines, four remarkable entrepreneurs — Josefina Quinto Mantuano, Clemente Bombales Ramos, Rose Ann Desagon Toledo, and Shella Ann Porras Magno — embody these values. Their journeys show how determination, coupled with access to finance, can transform lives and inspire others to pursue their own dreams.
Josefina Mantuano
At 62, Josefina Mantuano of Lipa City proves that modest beginnings can lead to extraordinary success. She founded “Josie’s Home Made Candies” 22 years ago with a vision to provide quality sweets to local markets. Starting with just 25 packs of yema candies and a ₱200 investment in a single mold, she gradually expanded into pastillas and mazapan.
Her resilience shone during Typhoon Ondoy, when she delivered up to 2,000 packs twice a week despite harsh conditions. A major turning point came in 2008 when she accessed her first ₱5,000 loan from a microfinance-oriented thrift bank. Over time, as her business grew, her loans increased, enabling her to purchase delivery vehicles and improve operations. Today, she employs staff, supports suppliers, and maintains a culture of care by providing rice, snacks, uniforms, and bonuses to employees.
From a makeshift home sustained by her husband’s earnings as a jeepney driver, she has found stability — and now dreams of reaching new markets. Her advice is simple: “Start small, but stay consistent. Determination and strategy will take you far.”
Clemente Ramos
Thirty years ago in Naga City, Clemente Ramos founded “Menting Ramos Herbal Products Industry.” A graduate of Naturopathic Medicine, he built the enterprise on his training — producing herbal remedies and offering consultations grounded in holistic care.
Wanting to help people, he provides free medical consultations and distributes herbal medicines in barangays, extending healthcare to low-income families. Innovation fuels his reach: A Facebook presence, a clinic near Naga City Hall, nightly radio programs, and online sales via Shopee. Despite challenges with capital, FDA registration, and product counterfeiting, he persisted, securing patents and modernizing production.
Support from a microfinance-oriented thrift bank allowed him to expand his business, acquire properties, and educate his children. His guiding philosophy is clear: “True success comes from serving others sincerely.”
Rose Ann Toledo
At 27, Rose Ann Toledo of Cavite is a rising entrepreneur. She launched “Roch Consumer Goods Trading” during the Covid-19 pandemic after she and her partner left their jobs due to health concerns. A chance discovery of ₱500 while walking sparked their first venture — selling cloth face masks. They tapped neighbors to sew the masks and sold them online, eventually generating ₱150,000 in gross sales. They later sold cosmetics online and ventured into digital printing.
The printing enterprise eventually grew into “Better Days,” a full-scale service offering customized packaging, stickers, and layouts. Their flexibility — accepting small orders starting at 100 pieces — helped many startups and micro entrepreneurs. Today, they fulfill bulk orders of up to 100,000 pieces and envision AI-powered systems and advanced machinery.
Loans from a microfinance-oriented bank financed equipment upgrades, accelerating growth. Beyond profit, she invests in community outreach, scholarship, reading centers, and civic projects. Rose Ann’s vision is bold: to make “Better Days” the leading online printing and packaging provider in the Philippines.
Shella Ann Magno
From Matina, Davao City, Shella Ann Magno is a distributor of livestock and poultry feed ingredients. With over 11 years of experience, her journey reflects leadership and perseverance.
Starting with ₱300,000 in capital, she co founded a business that steadily grew. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and African Swine Fever outbreak severely disrupted livestock production. In 2022, she assumed full management responsibility, steering the company through turbulent times.
Her business emphasizes high-quality, technologically advanced products, strong customer service, and employee welfare, including full benefits and incentive trips. They are also involved in the community, providing relief goods during calamities, donations to pediatric cancer patients, and school supplies for indigenous communities. Microfinance support stabilized their operations and enabled expansion. Looking ahead, she envisions passing the business on to her children. Her advice: “Stay committed, work hard, and continuously improve.”
Shared lessons and lasting impact
Although they are engaged in different industries, these four entrepreneurs share common values: resilience, innovation, community service, and gratitude. Their stories demonstrate how access to financial services, combined with personal determination, can overcome challenges and build lasting success.
These entrepreneurs’ resilience and resourcefulness transformed hardships into opportunities. Their journeys inspire not only aspiring entrepreneurs but also institutions dedicated to inclusive growth and sustainable development.
In their success, we find hope. In their perseverance, we find courage. And in their community involvement, we find the true measure of entrepreneurial success.
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“It’s not about ideas; it’s about making ideas happen.” — Scott Belsky
(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.)