Magpale to expand search for ‘Winners’

(Continued from Saturday’s issue)

WOMAN entrepreneur Maritess Tilacas worked her way up to become an entrepreneur. At the age of 13, she started carrying sacks of stone to sell to a stone craft factory at 45 centavos per kilo to help provide income for the family. She opted to work instead of going to college.

Tilacas first worked as a sewer in a famous export brand in Mepz. She also worked part-time as an encoder in another establishment. On top of that, she enrolled in a threemonth course in computer technology, which earned her a vocational degree. Tilacas also worked as a factory worker in an ice pop company.

Realizing there was more money in business, she pooled resources to set up a small business. With a startup capital of P500 she started selling banana cue, spaghetti, gulaman and binignit. Tilacas said she made use of what she learned in a a free culinary class and training in baking and dessert-making sponsored by the local government of Minglanilla when she was 19.

Aside from selling food, Tilacas also became a dealer of cosmetic products and ready to wear (RTW) clothes. She tapped Facebook to get clients. Her Facebook friends, former neighbors in Minglanilla and former classmates became her first customers. She said many got enticed with the products she sells online.

Tilacas earns P6,500 a month from her online shop alone. She said she dreams of opening her own boutique shop someday.

Abarquez, Patigayon and Tilacas were among the 20 finalists of this year’s Search for Women In Need, Now Entrepreneurs (Winners), a project of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

Now on its fourth year, the competition looks for model women micro-entrepreneurs from Mandaue City who are supporting their families and are working to rise from poverty through their business ventures.

The competition initially had 47 micro-entrepreneurs who went through the Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Training conducted by the Benedicto College Business Administration Department and Basic Banking provided by the RCBC. However, only 20 of them made it through the next stage.

According to Carmel de Pio-Salvador, the chamber’s vice-president and chairperson of the Search for Winners, the 20 micro-entrepreneurs went through a selection process and were judged based on their business plan (30 percent); story (50 percent); and Q & A (20 percent).

The Search for Winners grand coronation night is on Aug. 27 to be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.

Recognizing the positive impact of the project on women in the province, Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said she plans to expand the program into other areas of the province.

Magpale said she sent an invitation to 10 mayors in nearby cities and municipalities to witness the grand coronation night.

Salvador said they welcomed the vice governor’s plan saying that should be the project’s direction for it to become sustainable.

“We are already on our fourth year and we intend to include and recognize more women in the province who are inspiration to their family and their community,” she said.

Salvador also announced they are planning to set up a foundation that will help empower women.

She said the establishment of the foundation will sustain the program by providing women the right technology, training, as well as financial assistance to grow their businesses.

She also mentioned that the working committee of the program is also actively studying the establishment of a bank dedicated to serve the basic financial needs of women entrepreneurs.