News and Features Stories

Posted on: October 1, 2025 Written by: Edrian B. Banania Narda Dellova, 38, an Iraya Mangyan and CARD client from Puerto Galera, proudly showcases her handcrafted Mangyan woven products. Each piece is a reflection of her culture, creativity, and resilience. In the peaceful mountains of Talipan, Aninuan in Puerto Galera, Narda Dellova works with steady hands. At 38, her fingers move with the grace of decades of tradition, artistry, and purpose. Each weave reflects the life she has built, the challenges she has overcome, and the dreams she continues toRead More »Woven Paths

Posted on: October 1, 2025 Written by: Edrian B. Banania Marianne Agutaya and Moreen Agutaya from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, stand proudly at MoreDan Coffee’s second branch in Sta. Maria Village. It is a thriving family business built on love, collaboration, and a shared passion for quality. Marianne Agutaya, 50, embodies the values of perseverance, passion, and unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. Her life is a journey of resilience, transformation, and the determination to create a better future, not only for herself but for her entire family. A tough beginning Marianne hadRead More »More than a coffee shop

Posted on: October 1, 2025 Written by: Josephine M. Ramos   Teodorica Corables proudly holds out a tray of freshly steamed siopao, a labor of love, perseverance, and hard work. To preserve the siopao business her husband has started, Teodorica Cabales from Calapan City dedicated herself to perfecting a recipe that would win the hearts of many customers. Originally from San Teodoro, Teodorica later settled in Calapan City with her family. Life was not easy early on. After finishing elementary school, she began working as a household helper for relatives.Read More »Steamed with Love

Posted on: September 16, 2025 Written by: Josephine M. Ramos   After farming, Catalina Laurel often helped her husband in fishing– a shared life with simple joys. With its stunning landscapes, pristine islands, and rich cultural heritage, Batanes truly lives up to its name as the Paradise of the North. The serene environment is one of the many reasons why, despite the expensive flights, tourists are still eager to experience the unparalleled beauty of Batanes. The natives from Batanes, also known as the Ivatans, have long relied on farming—growing vegetablesRead More »Strength in Struggles

Posted on: September 16, 2025 Written by: Edrian B. Banania   Niño de Guzman, 38, a proud CARD SME Bank client and agripreneur from General Santos City, stands on his flourishing asparagus and corn farm. It is his living testament that hard work and perseverance can turn small dreams into reality. In Barangay San Jose, General Santos City, lives a man whose story proves that success is not born from wealth; it is grown through hard work, faith, and perseverance. Niño de Guzman, a vocational graduate, husband, and father ofRead More »Sowing Success

Written by: Josephine Ramos Posted on September 8, 2025 (Fourth from right) Actor JC Santos was introduced as the new celebrity ambassador of konek2CARD on September 1, 2025, during the celebration of CARD Bank’s anniversary, along with (third from right) CARD MRI Founder and Chairman Emeritus Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, some of the senior advisers, and some Executive and Management Committee members of CARD MRI. CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank, marked its 28th anniversary with the launch of the new version of its mobile banking app, konek2CARD. The eventRead More »CARD Bank launches new konek2CARD on its 28th Anniversary

Written by Josephine Ramos Posted on August 15, 2025   Alexander Amado showcases a tray of his freshly prepared sun-dried fish, a well-loved delicacy in the Philippines also known as tuyo. For more than three decades, the sun-kissed tan skin of Alexander Amado from Atimonan, Quezon, tells a silent story of the long hours he spent under the blazing sun, diligently drying fish to make a living. He was a fresh graduate when he started making and selling dried fish. Since it was also his mother’s business, he found itRead More »Under the Scorching Sun

Written by Josephine Ramos Posted on August 15, 2025   What began as a small sari-sari store in 2020 has become a growing livelihood for Ainon Saddaramil, driven by her tireless efforts. The Tausug are one of the Muslim tribes residing on the island of Mindanao. Many of them originally came from Jolo, but over the years, some have moved and made a new life in places like Zamboanga City. One of them is Ainon Jabani Saddaramil, whose story is a testament to the hard work and resilience that comesRead More »A New Beginning Behind the Storefront