Inspiring enterprise stories shared from the past makes one wonder how these successful businesses emerged in the national market.

Through passion and dedication, these enterprises experienced success, growth and prosperity – focusing on making a profit, but also on equal and inclusive growth in the community.

Here are some of PHilMech’s enterprises featured in the first ever virtual Market Expo, featured in PHilMech’s Facebook page during its week-long anniversary celebration on May 28, 2020.


THE WOMEN OF MULTI-COMMODITY SOLAR TUNNEL DRYER (MCSTD)

Two MCSTD-based enterprises from Nueva Ecija are now paving their products to the niche market Bakhita Herbs and Tea and the Kababaihang Masigla ng Nueva Ecija (KMNE).

The turmeric and ginger tea of Bakhita Herbs and Tea are known for producing organic products processed in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. This cooperative is composed of women community health workers led by the Canossians Daughter of Charity. Their dedication to serve allowed them to start turmeric and ginger tea processing in 2014.

An increase in demand of their products and the volume of production allowed them to open their processing building in 2016, allowing them to be more competitive, promoting locally organic processed products such as sweetened-dried fruits and pure turmeric and ginger out of pulp.

The KMNE has more than 30 products including dried tomatoes, tamarind sweets, guava jelly, dried herbs, tilanggit (salted dried fish), concentrated juices (like calamansi, tamarind, guyabano, etc) powdered mushroom, rice wine and many more. These are sold in various market outlets in Nueva Ecija, Metro Manila and other adjacent regions.

Succeeding years brought KMNE and Bakhita Herbs and Tea to the peak of their dreams. Both KMNE and Bakhita are PHilMech’s learning site and social laboratory for aspiring women MCSTD adopters.


BREWING THE HARVEST OF COFFEE PROCESSING SYSTEM

Filipino coffee farmers suffer from low price due to low quality beans. With PHilMech's recommendation for coffee postharvest and processing systems for green coffee beans, coffee farmers now produce quality green coffee beans.

The Casile-Guinting Upland Marketing Cooperative (CGUMC) in Cabuyao, Laguna, is known for their Kape de Cabuyao. The cooperative offers original ground blended coffee for Php 150/ 250g, drip coffee in original blend for Php 25 each, pure Liberica for Php 25, pure Arabica for Php 35, and Robusta for Php 20.


SHELLING OUT SUCCESS FROM CASHEW NUTS

PHilMech developed the cashew nut processing system to encourage enterprise development for cashew growers. This processing system improves the quality and value of cashew kernels.

A group of unemployed housewives leads the cashew processing enterprise in Mariveles, Bataan. This is the Alion Kapit-Bisig Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran Association (Alion Kapit-Bisig SEA-K Association).

Elizabeth Paglinawan has been the association’s president since 1996. With her association focused on cashew nut processing, they’re producing roasted cashew nuts, cashew prunes, cashew cookies and cashew nut butter spread, marketed in different parts of Luzon. This is their major source of income.

Elizabeth’s association showcased the best performance in managing responsibilities among other shared service facility cooperators in the province and was recently awarded Most Receptive Cooperator by the Department of Trade and Industry.


SHIFTING CAREERS THROUGH SOYBEAN PROCESSING

PHilMech developed the soybean postharvest and processing systems to help soybean farmers and processors attain high quality soybean products.

For Gadmer Layson, challenges turned to opportunities allowed a working professional such as himself to leave his 8 to 5 job, in pursuit of a successful career in soybean production.

In 2013, Gadmer, a former media practitioner, and his wife Mary Ann, launched the KKK Enterprise (after their children: Kyla, Kyle, Kevin) making soya milk as their sole product. The KKK Enterprise, located in Manila, sells their soy coffee for P150/200g and soya milk for Php 25/bottle. Gadmer was also cited as one of the exemplary models in the Agri-Entrepreneur Category of The Outstanding Farmers of the Philippines (TOFM) in 2016.

Aside from helping others in their community, Gadmer also believes that his faith from above filled their bags with hopes and germinated seeds of dream in their hearts.

These social entrepreneurs are not just successful enterprises profiting from their business, they play a vital role in the society. They have impacted communities, rural women, and farmers all over the country. They are the genuine social changers.