The Sweet Scent of Hope: Herma Cagadas’ Flower Shop in Butuan

Posted on December 3, 2021

Plantitas. They are the modern-day plant lovers who originally sought ways to alleviate their stress and make use of their time at home at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What was once an uncultivated backyard became a place where they can grow their crops and ornamental plants, which usually bring a sense of satisfaction for them.

With the great demand for flowers and other plants during the pandemic, the increase in plantitas had a great impact for Herma Cagadas, a flower shop owner in Brgy. Holy Redeemer, Butuan City.

For Nanay Herma, one of the significant events in her life was witnessing her business flourish despite the global health and economic crisis. Even with her 13 years of experience in the flower industry, she thought the pandemic will end all her dreams, especially when the lockdown was declared and all the shops, including hers, were forced to close. Little did she know that ornamental plants will become more popular to people. When she learned of this new alternative to escape from the stresses of the pandemic, Herma was more inclined to focus on her flower business.

Some of the ornamental plants Nanay Herma sells come from Mandacpan, San Vicente in Butuan City, while others are from her own mini garden, where she propagates her plants by root cuttings to breed ornamental plants that are unique enough for the market.

Nanay Herma dreams of expanding her shop and gaining more customers who often come from different areas in Mindanao including Davao, Surigao, Bukidnon, and other nearby towns.

In all of these, she shared the involvement of CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO), one of the social development institutions of CARD MRI, which provides financial assistance through its microfinance services, in the maintenance of her flower business.

Nanay Herma has been a member of Langihan, one of the centers of Butuan 3 Unit under CARD, Inc., since 2015. With her six years of membership at CARD, Inc., she thanked the microfinance institution not only for initiating programs for microentrepreneurs, like the Small Business Loan and other supplemental loan products, but also for entrusting her with a large amount of capital in support of her flower shop.

With this, she reminds her co-members to be responsible and wise when borrowing extra capital, as this contributes to their life’s success.

Herma also gives encouragement to her fellow businesswomen. “For those like me who own a flower shop, I hope you don’t get tired. Yes, there will be times when we can’t get customers, but we really need to learn to wait patiently. Time will come when more and more people will get to know and patronize our business.”

To know more about CARD, Inc. and its products and services for microentrepreneurs, visit CARD, Inc.’s website at www.cardmri.com/cardinc or leave a message on their Facebook page, @CARDIncOfficial.