News and Features Stories

Written by Ms. Josephine Ramos Posted on July 2, 2025 Rexel proudly displays his freshly made puto, a beloved Filipino steamed rice cake, in front of his humble store. Just as the clock struck 1:00 am, while the rest of the world was fast asleep, Rexel Madalag and his wife were already wide awake, busy in the kitchen, diligently preparing a batch of fluffy steamed rice cakes (puto) that they sell before the sun rises. Rexel, a resident of Bacolod City, is a father of 11 children, which is aRead More »A Small Business, A Big Dream

Posted on June 23, 2025 Written by: Josephine Ramos   Next to Mary Ann Mariano are various dry goods that they sew, each piece a product of their hard work. Mary Ann Mariano from Bataan started her dry goods business in 2001 together with her husband, Ruben. Since Ruben’s family was also in the line of dry goods, he passed on his sewing techniques to his wife, a skill that became their business’ foundation. The couple ensures the precision and quality in every stitch to keep their customers coming back.Read More »Precision at Every Stitch

Posted on June 6, 2025 Writen by: Edrian B. Banania Arlene B. Borres, 53, a proud CARD SME Bank client and entrepreneur from Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, shows  that with faith and perseverance, life blooms at the right time despite the toughest odds. In the quiet, flower-filled hills of Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, the story of Arlene Borres begins. Born the eldest  of nine children in a farming family, the rows of vegetables, the scent of cut blooms, and the responsibility of  helping her parents make ends meet shaped Arlene’sRead More »A Blossoming Spirit to Succeed

Posted on April 21, 2025 Written by Josephine Ramos Marita Villamor showcases her crispy pata business, which has been running strong for nearly four decades. Growing up, Marita Villamor from Sampaloc, Manila, dreamed of becoming an office girl and thriving in the corporate world. With this goal in mind, she pursued a secretarial course in college and even enrolled in a typing lesson class—all in hopes of landing her dream job. But life has different plans for her. After starting a family in 1986, Marita found herself venturing into business.Read More »Mouthwatering taste of determination

Posted on: April 10, 2025 Written by: Josephine M. Ramos   Taking every opportunity that comes her way, Ramona Manlangit has dived into different businesses to provide income for her family, even while at home. Ramona Manlangit from Tayabas, Quezon, finds it extremely challenging to grow up without her parents’ guidance. She was only four years old when her mother passed away while giving birth to their youngest sibling. Her father, in a state of depression, died less than a year later. As a result, she and her three siblingsRead More »The strength to succeed

Posted on March 21, 2025 Written by Josephine Ramos From the gateway of Bicolandia, Dominga Perez continues to strive in life with the help of her grass broom business that started in 2011. “Age is just a number,” a phrase that rings true for 76-year-old Dominga Perez of Camarines Norte, who pushes forward in her business journey with relentless grit and determination. Not everyone is blessed with decades of physical strength, and Dominga remains grateful for the body that endured the test of time. She had a fair share ofRead More »A life built on hard work and perseverance

Posted on March 4, 2025 Written by: Edrian Banania      Emelita W. Nieves, 57, a CARD Bank client and entrepreneur from Mercedes, Camarines Norte, proved that everything is within reach for someone with determination and perseverance. Success is not measured by how many times you fall, but by how many times you rise. This belief defines the journey of Emelita Wee Nieves—a woman who transformed challenges into opportunities. Emelita embodies perseverance and determination. From selling dried fish on a small scale to becoming a thriving entrepreneur in the smoke fishRead More »Seasoned with Determination

Posted on: March 4, 2025 Written by: Loigie Onda   Merdelisa Talawi Siwo stands in front of her second sari-sari store, proving her hard work and determination. Despite facing numerous challenges, Merdelisa Talawi Siwo, a 42-year-old microentrepreneur from Brgy. Sinawal, General Santos City, never let adversity stand in the way of her dreams. Growing up with family responsibilities, she understood early on that success requires determination and sacrifice. With no initial capital, she turned to CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) and availed a loan to start a small sari-sari store.Read More »Rising from Grit