Posted on: February 27, 2026
Written by: Josephine M. Ramos
Jennifer Llanera showcases her tamarind jam, now available in various cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental.
In pursuit of a comfortable life, Jennifer Llanera, from Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, and her husband started a tamarind jam business in 1994. Since this was also her in-laws’ line of business, entering the venture was easier for them.
At first, they sold their products outside school, where students became their first customers. While it was a good start, sales dropped significantly during school vacations, prompting her to find new ways to reach more customers.
She traveled to neighboring cities and municipalities to personally introduce her jam to different stores. Determined to maintain quality and develop good packaging, she attended a series of workshops and training sessions.
Through her hard work, Jennifer’s business began to thrive. However, life comes with unexpected challenges. In 2016, she faced one of the most painful moments in her life when her child passed away due to health complications. The heartbreak was deepened by overwhelming medical expenses.
Income from her business was no longer sufficient to sustain their needs. Despite the pain in her heart, she worked abroad in 2017 to provide for her family. After two years, she realized that living paycheck to paycheck was not what she envisioned. In 2019, she returned to the Philippines and continued the business she left behind.
The tamarind she uses is sourced from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. Since tamarind trees only bear fruit during the first half of the year, Jennifer typically purchases around 100-300 kilos during peak season.
There are instances where their funds are insufficient to cover the cost of raw materials, so she would borrow from CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) for additional capital. She became a CARD, Inc., client in 2019. Through her loans, she was able to secure enough tamarind to sustain production even during the off-season. At present, she has an active loan of PHP 80,000.00 from the institution.
Shortly after returning home, another unexpected hardship struck her life. At the height of the pandemic, she lost her husband. As if the pain were not enough, the strict lockdown implementation also prevented them from producing jams. To make ends meet, she planted vegetables and sold them to buy rice and other daily needs. In the years that followed, the African Swine Fever (AFS) outbreak also affected their pigs.
There were moments when she thought of giving up, but she could not afford to do so, knowing her children relied on her. She worked even harder for them, especially for those who are still studying. Even in her difficult moments, she chose resilience over struggles, continuing to rise every time life tested her strength.
Today, her perseverance is evident in the steady growth of her business. They are able to produce up to 500 packs of jam daily, reaching 12 cities in Negros.
For now, one of her goals is to invest in a delivery van to speed up the distribution of her products. Currently, they rely on commuting and renting a tricycle to transport orders from Sagay to Bacolod. She also hopes to increase the amount she can borrow from CARD, Inc., so that she can purchase larger quantities of tamarind in the future.
“Nakakaproud lang na makita ang aking mga tamarind jam na dati ay mabibili lamang sa labas ng eskwelahan ngayon ay nakadisplay na rin sa mga malls. (It makes me proud to see my tamarind jam, which used to be sold outside the school, is now displayed in malls),“ she stated, realizing how far she has come.
Melca’s story is just one proof that hard work, combined with dedication and perseverance, can take you far in life.
