Dodie Santos: Soul-winning Micro Entrepreneur and Tricycle Operator

Nanay Dodie receives 'boundary' from one of her tricycle drivers.

Nanay Dodie and her family.

Micro entrepreneur Dolorosa Santos  was named honorable mention in the 2014 Thurman Award program of Hope International, a CCT ministry partner-organization based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.  The award is named after Eric Thurman, Hope International’s founder.  This is Nanay Dolorosa’s inspiring story. 

  

Dolorosa ‘Dodie’ Santos of Novaliches, Quezon City owns a sari-sari (retail) store, a wholesale store, a motorcycle spare parts store, and six tricycles which she rents out to tricycle drivers in her neighborhood. She has received microfinance loans from CCT since August 2005.

Nanay Dodie uses her tricycle business not just to help provide jobs for neighbors but also to bring them to the Lord.  In 2011, she began implementing a policy in which the drivers had a special privilege of paying only 50% ‘boundary’* on Sundays if they attended the 3 pm worship service at her church.  

Nanay Dodie with her youngest son. 

 The drivers protested in the beginning, but Dolorosa was insistent, saying the church service at (the Jesus Is Lord Fellowship in Novaliches) would take up only two hours of their time, and that they would have to find another tricycle operator otherwise.

 The drivers began attending church with her, reluctantly at first, but all six of them have since been born-again, and many members of their families as well! Today, Nanay Dolorosa brings as many as 100 persons to church with her. They ride the tricycles, and a van she bought (using a CCT loan) for this purpose. 

“My most fervent dreams are no longer for myself or for my family. The Lord has blessed my family beyond what I ever hoped for,” says Nanay Dodie whose family used to live in a wooden shack just a few square meters wide.  Today they live in a two-story concrete house with a roof deck.  “ We already have more than enough materially.   I want to be able to create jobs for others because I believe it is easier to lead persons to Jesus Christ when their stomachs are not empty.”  

*In the tricycle operation business, a driver may pick up the tricycle as early as 3 or 4 in the morning and return it late at night and pay the owner a 'boundary'. As tricycle operator, Nanay Dodie receives between  P310 and P360 per day per tricycle -- a higher amount is charged for newer tricycles -- and the driver keeps whatever is left as his earnings.

Photos:  Griffin Wilson 

Buchi King Owners Speak at TEE Opening Night

Christian Caparas, co-owner of Buchi King restaurant, speaking before micro finance workers from 
several countries during the TEE training in Tagaytay City, Philippines.

Alvin Abaja speaks of how he (along with cousin Christian) started Buchi King after he had a vision of himself
making buchi. 

Alvin Abaja and Christian Caparas, co-owners of Buchi King, a restaurant in Binan, Laguna, shared the story behind the  success of their growing business during opening night of the third Transformative Economic Empowerment (TEE), an international training session for micro finance workers.  

Alvin and Christian, who are cousins, manage Buchi King along with Christian's mother, Rosario Caparas.   Rosario is a pioneer member and micro finance recipient  of the Center for Community Transformation Savings and Credit Cooperative branch in Binan.

The cousins spoke of how they started their business after Alvin had a vision, during the pastoral prayer at their church one Sunday, of  himself making and selling buchi.  Soon afterward they started selling buchi to office mates and church mates.  When orders grew, they both resigned from their jobs with private corporations to be able to focus.  They opened the restaurant in December 2012. 

The  signature product of Buchi King is buchi, a ball of glutinous rice stuffed with a variety of fillings.  Traditional fillings are macapuno (coconut), ube (purple yam), and sweetened  mung bean paste.  The innovative cousins have made their buchi a hit with such fillings as cheese, sweet cream, chocolate, and white chocolate.  The restaurant also serves rice meals, pasta, and Chinese noodles.

Aside from being micro finance recipients, the Buchi King owners have benefited from CCT’s mentorship program where  Christian businessmen offer time and expertise coaching fledgling business owners in both spiritual and business matters. 

The TEE training where the cousins shared their testimony was a joint activity of CCT and the Ka-Partner network, a consortium of US-based organizations ministering to the poor. Attendees were from Peru, India, Moldova, Zambia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, and the US.  

The founding members of the Ka-Partner network are endPoverty, Five Talents, Hope International, and Peer Servants.  

Ruth Callanta, CCT founder and president, said the training session allows the sharing of CCT’s best practices and stories, benefiting the poor of other nations.  

Participants in the TEE training session during opening night of the week-long activity. 

14 Couples Married in CCT Negros Mass Wedding

Fourteen couples were recently married in a mass wedding organized by staff of CCT Negros.  Of the 14, five are recipients (referred to as community partners) of CCT micro finance assistance, while the rest are children or relatives of community partners. 

Amie Balboa of  CCT Negros said the decision of the community partners to become legally married after years of being common-law husbands and wives  is an indication of spiritual growth and a desire to please God by living according to His will.   

Except for one, all of the couples had been living together for several years without the benefit of marriage.  The oldest couple had been living together for nine years and already had three children. 

The wedding ceremony was officiated by Pastor Rene Bajalan.  CCT Negros has organized and held a mass wedding once a year since 2003.   

Dev't Practitioners Observe CCT 5Ws

A community partner reads a Bible verse during the Word  portion of a CCT
fellowship meeting. Looking on is Maribel Bernal, covenant community builder. 

Development practitioners, many of them executive directors and managers of faith-based organizations, observed how the 5Ws  format is used in meetings of CCT community partners, during a visit to a community in Silang, Cavite. They also got a chance to  talk with recipients of micro finance loans and see how the loans have had an impact on their lives and micro enterprises. The exposure trip was part of a two-week modular course titled Spirituality and Culture in Transformational Development recently run by the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture and CCT.

The 5Ws is the standard pattern followed in weekly fellowship meetings of micro finance recipients, referred to as community partners at CCT.

The 5Ws are:

• Welcome (10 minutes). The covenant community builder (CCB, often called  loan officer in other micro finance institutions) or the fellowship coordinator calls the roll, greets those celebrating a birthday, and leads the singing of the National Anthem and the reciting of the CCT Partners’ pledge.
• Worship (10 minutes). Here the group prays and sings songs of praise and worship.
• Word (30 minutes). The CCB leads devotions using a study guide specifically written with needs of CCT communities in mind. Community partners may share testimonies at this time.
• Work (30 minutes). Here loan payments are made and records are updated. Savings build up withdrawals are also made during this period.
• Wrap-up (10 minutes). The CCB does a recap of important points made during the Word portion, gives a quick summary of the collection status, and leads a closing song and prayer.

 The ISACC training was held from July 29 - August 11, 2013. 

The fellowship secretary collects and records loan payments during the WORK portion of the meeting. 

The gold-colored booklets at left are passbooks where  loan releases and payments and
savings deposits and withdrawals of community partners are recorded.
Book on the right is a collection of Bible study guides for use in
weekly fellowship meetings.  Because devotion to one's country is given emphasis at CCT
 the book also carries 12 lessons,each one focusing on a line from the Philippine national anthem. 

Brian Shiel, missionary with World Venture / Conservative Baptist Mission chats with a micro entrepreneur...

...as do Marilyn Lalunio, program director for scholarship of Real Life Foundation; Edwin delos Santos,
CCT partnership development officer; and Grace and Bill Dyrness, ISACC co-founders. 

Photos courtesy of the Institute of Studies in Asian Church and Culture.

Nanay Elisa Takes Second Place in 2013 Lydia Awards

Elisa Gomez, 2013 Lydia award 2nd placer, talks about her organic bath soap made with malunggay leaf extracts.

Elisa Gomez,  CCT micro finance community partner from Apopong, General Santos City, is the second placer in the 2013 Lydia Awards program sponsored by PEER Servants.

Nanay Eliza Gomez, is a pioneer member of the CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative in General Santos and has received micro finance loans from CCT since 1998.  She produces bedroom slippers, organic soap, native bags, and fashion accessories.  These businesses provide part-time jobs for working students and also fund missionary work among the B’laan tribe in Saranggani.

The Lydia award is named after Lydia, the businesswoman mentioned in Acts 16 who was devoted to the Lord and who played an prominent role in the early Christian church and ministry.

After being healed of cancer when she was 28, Elisa, now 62, committed her life to serving the Lord among the less fortunate.  She has a heart for children growing up without proper support, guidance, and care from their own families, especially those she describes as, “Yung mga pagala-gala” (“Those who wander aimlessly”).  Among those she has helped to   complete their education is an engineer, a teacher, and several others who finished two-year technical courses. Everyone she takes in or helps send to school has to help with the slipper-making business. 

For about 10 years now, Elisa and her husband, a lay pastor, have spent a month each year among members of the B’laan tribe who live in the hinterlands of Saranggani province (the province borders General Santos City).  They bring clothes, do evangelistic work and lead Bible studies, hold literacy and livelihood classes,  teach proper hygiene, and, using Elisa’s own asunting and moringa soaps wash and treat those with skin problems. The couple have another trip planned for November of this year.

Elisa has been a positive role model for joyful generosity to those she has helped send to school and to church mates who accompany her and her husband when they minister among the B’laans.  Another impact of Elisa’s businesses is the positive work attitudes instilled in all of those she has helped. The teacher she helped send to school says, “If you work hard enough, you will have food to eat.”

The Lydia Awards is sponsored by Peer Servants, a Christian micro finance organization based in Massachusetts, USA, to recognize micro enterprises that are growing in their capital base, employing people, strengthening the church, and having a positive impact on their communities.   Through the Lydia award, Peer Servants hopes to encourage this same behavior among the entrepreneurs within its network of micro finance organizations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

As second placer, Elisa receives a $1,000 grant for her businesses. 

The 2013 Lydia award overall winner is Richard Tunya, a cassava processor from Uganda.

Extracts from asunting  (acapulco) leaves, explains Elisa Gomez,
  go into a soap that heals scabies.

Nanay Elisa makes bedroom slippers using used blankets
bought from ukay-ukay stores. 

Nanay Gomez shows Gerlie Diaz, Apopong branch team servant, some of the wallets she makes. 

Hidden Manna Avila, daughter of a couple employed by Elisa Gomez's
slipper business, helps her parents after school by stitching slipper straps together.
This step makes the slippers wearable for as long as five years.   

CCT Operations in Oriental Mindoro Ongoing

Some 344 residents of Calapan city, the capital of Oriental Mindoro, have become community partners of  the newest branch of the Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries by joining its micro-finance program. The community partners are from baranggays  Pachoca, Calero, Balite, Canubing, Camilmil, San Vicente, Lazareto, San Antonio, Libis, Ilaya, Sto. Nino, Lumang Bayan, Bayanan 1, and Lalud.

The branch holds 23 fellowship meetings each week and discipleship sessions are to begin soon. Corporate worship services were started in June, with the worship hall of the United Evangelical Church in Baranggay Lalud as venue.  Corporate worship services are held simultaneously on Saturday mornings at all CCT branches nationwide.

The Calapan branch was formally opened in April 2013. The work was begun upon the invitation of Cesar Tallada, former colleague of CCT founder Ruth Callanta, who is now a pastor.  Pastor Cesar and Calapan staff King Horlador, Melchor Reyes, Jay Erwin Faminiar, and Gabriel Artiola received training in branches in Manila before returning to Mindoro to start the micro finance program there. Cavite team servant Rommel Laciste was temporarily assigned to Calapan to see that the culture and and DNA of CCT is established.

Oriental Mindoro is the 26th province in the Philippines where CCT has operations.

Team Servant Rommel Laciste speaks at one of the initial
 corporate worship services of CCT's newest branch, the Calapan, Oriental Mindoro branch.

Pastor Cesar Tallada leads CCT staff and community partners in prayer during a 
Saturday morning corporate worship service.

Nanay Aurora Masongsong thanks God for the blessing of 
capital for her  micro enterprise through a micro finance loan from CCT. 

CCT Cooperative Members Hold General Assemblies

Members of the Center for Community Transformation Savings and Credit Cooperative have been attending general assemblies in their respective areas since May. The highlights of these assemblies are the president's report giving updates on the programs and services of CCT, the treasurer's report stating CCT's financial performance in 2012, and recognition of loyal community partners.  The assemblies are expected to be held until August.  In 2012 the CCT Co-op had a total outreach of 147,000 in 145 branches nationwide.

Pictures below are from the general assemblies of the National Capital Region 1 and Negros areas.

Dennis Monong, general manager of the CCT Savings and Credit Cooperative, delivers the president's report
on behalf of Ruth Callanta, CCT president and founder. 

Mark Rullona, CCT Co-op general accountant
discusses the cooperative treasurer's report. 

A replica of a cheque showing P22,670,000 in patronage refunds and interest on shares is
symbolically turned over to CCT Co-op members.

Janice Ondrade, team servant at CCT's Araneta branch leads community volunteer development council
officers and Araneta staff in singing You Are My All in All.

Mardy Cabalo expresses gratitude to God for having been
named Thurman Awardee for 2013.  For full story, please visit:
http://cctgeneralnews.blogspot.com/2013/05/
ccts-mardy-cabalo-is-2013-thurman.html

Loyal cooperative members from Quezon City, recognized for membership with the CCT Co-op for
 five years or more, pause for a picture with their certificates of appreciation and with CCT staff. 

Children and grandchildren of co-op members from the Munoz, Quezon
City branch do a dance interpretation of  Lead Me Lord. 

CCT Co-op members and staff in Negros hold a replica of a cheque representing patronage refunds 
and interest on shares to be distributed among co-op members nationwide. 

Photos: Michelle Taway 

Thurman Awardee Mardy Cabalo Receives Prizes

 Mardy Cabalo, micro entrepreneur from Quezon City,
 receives her trophy as 2013 Thurman awardee from Christian businessman Carson Tan, representing
CCT and Hope International .

Mardy Cabalo received her prizes as 2013 Thurman overall awardee during the joint corporate worship service of Center for Community Transformation branches in Luzon on June 8, 2013.  The prizes are a  trophy and $500.00.  Joining Mardy during the brief ceremony were her daughters Chloe May, Jodeline, Jesusa, and Hannah,  staff from the Araneta, Quezon City branch, and her business mentor Carson Tan.

The Thurman Award recognizes microfinance and savings partners who demonstrate the values of perseverance, compassion, strength of character, and creativity. It was established in honor of Eric Thurman, the first CEO of Hope International, and his wife, Pennie. Hope International is a ministry partner of CCT based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.  Its network operates in 16 countries around the world.

Winners of the award for 2013 were announced in April 2013 following a nomination period that began late in 2012. Vicky Nevado, regional peer servant, representing CCT, accepted the award on behalf of Mardy during Hope International's annual dinner held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on May 16.

This is the first time a CCT community partner has been chosen as the overall Thurman awardee.  Abegail Yape, a junk shop owner from Payatas was named honourable mention for Asia in 2008, and in 2010, Linda Rondina, owner of five panciterias in Rizal, was also named honourable mention for Asia.   

Ruth Callanta, CCT president (holding trophy), encourages micro finance staff to nominate community partners 
for  awards such as the Thurman Award, while Bertram Lim,  CCT chair (right), listens. 

Mike Salili, regional peer servant for the national capital region, hands Mardy her prize of $500 in cash.

(L to r)  Carson Tan, a volunteer with CCT's business mentoring program and Mardy's business mentor;
 Ruthie Monterde, area servant leader NCR 1; Mardy; Janice Ondrade, team servant for the Araneta,
Quezon City branch; Mike Salili; Gabriel Ortiola, covenant community builder. 

Photos: Michelle Taway

CCT's Mardy Cabalo is 2013 Thurman Awardee

Mardy Cabalo, a community partner of the Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Savings and Credit Cooperative  Araneta, Quezon City branch is the Hope International Thurman awardee for 2013. She is a dealer of beauty products.

The Thurman Award recognizes microfinance and savings partners who demonstrate the values of perseverance, compassion, strength of character, and creativity. It was established in honor of Eric Thurman, the first CEO of Hope, and his wife Pennie. Hope International  is a ministry partner of CCT based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.

One of the judges said, “Mardy demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit, is others-focused, and expresses a love for Christ through her work.”

Mardy’s story is one of triumph over difficult circumstances. 

She was just 12 when her mother, a handicrafts dealer, passed away. Her father, who had seldom been at home anyway, remarried within that same year, leaving Mardy, the middle of three children -- and yet the most mature emotionally -- to look after her siblings.

“Wala akong inaayawang trabaho.  Andiyan yung magbubuhat ako ng palay, ng mais para may maipakain sa mga kapatid ko.  Pagdating ko sa high school tumutulong ako sa mga teacher kapalit ng pagkain namin.” (“I wasn't choosy with jobs. I would carry sacks of rice or corn if I had to, to be able to feed my siblings.  I would help my high school teachers in exchange for food.”)

Her father’s desertion left Mardy with a deep hurt in her heart.  Then God sent Christian missionaries to the town where they lived and  she came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit  began helping her deal with her feelings of resentment.  

Mardy was in her late teens when she was told that it would be easier for her to raise her siblings if she were to get a job in Manila. She moved to the city and worked at a series of low-paying jobs: as  helper at roadside eateries, as sales clerk for a bakery, and other simple jobs. She continued sending money home to help her younger sister.   

Soon she married a friend from high school. Even after four daughters came, their home was always open to relatives coming to Manila needing a place to stay while they looked for jobs and got established in the city.

Meanwhile Mardy’s daughters had begun school.  As is often the case with stay-at-home moms, Mardy brought the girls to school and would wait until it was time for them to go home.  To pass the time she sold beauty products to other waiting mothers. 

Also around this time she began attending CCT fellowship meetings in her neighbourhood.  After all her years in Manila, Mardy had not found a church family.  What drew her  mainly was a chance to attend Bible studies again, and not just an interest in joining the co-operative for additional business capital.  She decided to become a member of the co-operative  only when she learned that scholarships were offered exclusively to children of members. 

From there Mardy decided to keep her direct selling business going, expanding her network of dealers to about 40 women. It was a way of helping other mothers who, like her, lived on very slim budgets. She also became involved in CCT’s work, opening her home as a venue for meetings and Bible studies, and inviting other micro entrepreneurs to join the co-operative. Today she finds joy in serving God by leading a group of women actively involved in community work such as feeding sessions and medical missions.  

Whenever she recalls not having the love of a father when she was young, Mardy still gets teary-eyed, but God’s love has allowed her to forgive. After he was diagnosed with a heart problem a few years ago, she has faithfully paid for his maintenance medicines, clearly demonstrating the love and compassion of Jesus. 

Watch Mardy tell about her life in this short presentation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqAcSRnEIPU

Mardy and eldest daughter Chloe May.

Mardy with three younger daughters
Hannah, Jodeline, and Jesusa.

Mardy with her husband and a nephew whose parents
live with them. 

Mardy in a once-a-month mentoring meeting
with business mentor Carson Tan...

...and with Ruthie  Monterde (left), CCT area servant leader.

Photos:  Michelle Taway

CCT Nanays Attend Convention -- All Expenses Paid

CCT micro entrepreneurs at the Pinoy Me convention
 in March  2013 (left to right): Myrna Gumogda,
 lechon manok business owner;
 Linda Rondina, panciteria owner; Analyn Estrella, bakery owner.

Analyn Estrella, Linda Rondina, and Myrna Gumogda, businesswomen in the food sector, had the privilege of attending a two-day convention for free, along with some 100 other successful micro entrepreneurs from all over the Philippines.  The convention was organized by the Pinoy ME Foundation.    

The three micro entrepreneurs, recipients of micro finance assistance from the Center for Community Transformation Savings and Credit Cooperative, said they gained much new knowledge on growing their enterprises, were inspired by the success stories shared, and learned of several other business options available to them. 

Analyn Estrella, who opens a third bakery outlet soon, said one of the most important lessons she brought home  from the convention is about responding to competition through innovation.  “Di ka dapat matakot sa kakumpetensiya. Ayusin mo kung ano yung kulang sa produkto mo.”

Myrna Gumogda picked up some tips from Rommel Juan, CEO of the Binalot chain of restaurants. Among these were: “Dapat may variety ang menu mo.  Yung paggamit ng dahon ng saging, nakakatulong sa environment natin,” she said. Myrna, who is interested in opening her lechon manok business for franchising, said “Dapat hindi malaman ng iba yung sarili mong recipe kung magfa-franchise ka, sabi ni Jorge Noel Weineke [PLDT KaAsenso ambassador]. ”

“Hindi ako madalas mag Facebook,” said Linda Rondina, owner of five panciterias. “Importante din pala yung makapagFacebook ka,  yung makuha mo ang mga contact number ng customer mo, makapag-email ka. Gasino na lang yung gastos mo sa pagtext kung ang laki naman ng halaga ng ioorder nila?”

Analyn added that she was keen on having her breads and pizza sold in supermarkets. She learned that, “May proseso pala ‘yon.  Madami palang dokumentong kailangan ayusin.  Mabuti nalaman ko ‘yon kasi kung pinilit kong nasa supermarket ang products ko, baka madiscourage lang ako kasi hindi pa ako ready.”

Topics covered included sealing a deal in minutes, sustaining business growth amidst growing competition, finding the right market for one's products, and product design and packaging.   Speakers other than those already mentioned included Patricia Paterno of Papemelroti,  Steve Cua of Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association, Patrick Tang of PLDT, Myrna Sunico of Product Development and Design Center, and Grace Noceja of DOST.

Analyn, Linda, and Myrna are thankful for the blessing of having been chosen from among thousands of CCT microfinance recipients to join the convention. Criteria from PinoyME specified micro entrepreneurs having an enterprise with asset size of no more than P 3M and which should have grown  in asset and capitalization in the last two years.  Participants were required to  have an excellent loan repayment record,  should have increased loan size in last three years, and should have  provided employment to at least two people. Other criteria were having growth plans for coming years, and the ability to speak about their business experiences and engage in dialogue with other participants. 

The Me Naman Na Naman! Pinoy Microentrepreneurs' Convention was held at the Landbank Plaza in Malate, Manila on March 7 and 8, 2013. 

Side Story:

Linda Rondina who now lives in Rizal and Analyn Estrella who has lived in Quezon City for years met for the first time during the PinoyMe Convention.  They discovered, to their pleasant surprise, that they both spent their childhood years in the same small village of Arminia in the town of Uson in the province Masbate, and are actually distant relatives!  

CCT Partners Join Food and Drinks Asia 2012



Kathleen Yao (left), a volunteer coach with the Business Development Services unit
 of the Center for Community Transformation, tries some siomai-lunggay made and sold by
 Erna Gonzaga.  Kathleen, who teaches entrepreneurship in a Singapore university,
trained the CCT micro finance partners on how to  package their product,
how to approach a customer, and how to close a deal, during the expo.



Visitors to the Food and Drinks Asia 2012 crowd around the CCT booth for a free taste of salabat
 or ginger ale. 

Ever heard of siomai-lunggay?  It's your traditional siomai  (Chinese pork dumpling) made more nutritious with the addition of malunggay leaves. It is also a product made and sold by  Erna Gonzaga, recipient of a micro finance loan from the Center for Community Transformation Credit and Savings Cooperative.  

Erna and two other CCT micro finance recipients recently  joined  Food and Drinks Asia 2012, an international exposition of local and imported food and drinks where they displayed siomai-lunggay,  buko (young coconut) drink, and ginger ale.  Their joining helped them gain business contacts and learn business techniques from experts in the field.   

The CCT Credit and Savings Cooperative offers  loans, savings, insurance,  training, and business mentoring to micro entrepreneurs who often do not have access to such financial services. Unlike other non-government organizations that offer micro finance, CCT couples its  financial services with evangelism and discipleship.   

The expo was held at the World Trade Center in Manila on September 6 - 9, 2012.



(Left to right) Emelinda Ramos (maker and distributor of buko drink
and buko salad), Erna Gonzaga, and Jennifer de Castro (maker of ginger
ale powder). 

                                                             

                           

Emelinda Ramos of Silang Cavite started her buko juice business in the year 2000.

 

  

                       

Jennifer de Castro of the CCT Las Piñas branch started her salabat
business when her family was still in Catanduanes.

Photos and reporting: Michelle Taway