By: the GO NEGOSYO team

More than seven decades ago, the Dy Family put up a Chinese herbal medicine store in Naga City. From a humble beginning, this entrepreneurial venture grew to become one of the largest drugstore chains in the country, the South Star Drug Incorporated.

For 70 years, the management of the company has been passed on from parents to siblings.  Presently, Dahlia Dy, the youngest, leads the company as the new President and CEO. Her exemplary leadership brought South Star Drug to the frontier in the field of retail business of medicines, with their commitment “to serve and not to sell”.

The company’s focus has always been on customer satisfaction through reasonable prices, quality service, and shopping convenience. The business also transformed from a simple drugstore to an establishment that is a source of fresh medicines and other consumer and household products.

South Star Drug is aggressive in its expansion to more and more cities and municipalities in the Philippines. It has created employment and contributed to the local economic growth. At present, it has 130 stores with a work force of more than a thousand. The company intends to sustain its operation in various areas by strengthening its automated operation systems and reliable workforce. South Star Drug likewise provides a work environment that encourages personal growth and development of its manpower.

With due hard work, dedication, perseverance and commitment of the Dy Family, the herbal medicine store grew to be one of the largest drugstore chains in the country.  It has now more than 130 stores in Southern Tagalog, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga and Mindoro.

The Ben’s Bakers Corporation is also a decades-old business. The patriarch of the Pacres family created a simple bakery back in 1981 by. As the business progressed, in February of 1994, it was officially established as a family corporation.

Similar to South Star, Ben’s Bakers Corporation is presently managed by one of the daughters, Alice Pacres Esquela. Aside from Alice, who is the eldest, four more siblings manage the family business.

Ben’s Bakers produces a variety of bakery products; such as bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries. It caters to all markets from different localities. Presently, it has five branches strategically located in Daraga and Legazpi City. The business also includes a bakeshop, restaurant and mini grocery.

Alice and her siblings continuously strive to improve its standards. Presently, it aspires to become the pioneer producers of healthy options in the bakery business in the locality. In the process, the bakery hopes to be able to send the message across to the rest of its clientele that “healthy options pay health-wise”. For some time now, Ben’s Bakers have been using organic ingredients such as malunggay, ampalaya, and herbs in most of their products. They have been making their own variation of bread by mixing ground malunggay into the flour. To its credit, the market apparently appreciates the health factor, as what they observe in their market sales. The Department of Trade and Industry in Albay also recognizes their efforts in promoting healthy living through their products

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Dahlia Dy and Alice Esquela will be recognized as two of the Most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneurs on January 30, 2009 at the Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express Caravan at the Camarines Sur Convention Center. This is first for the year 2009, of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte, and the Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Council led by DTI Secretary Peter Favila. The event will be graced by Senator Manny Villar and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee for MSME Development and recently inducted Press Secretary. Member agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining our forums to share their stories and business advice. Governors and local leaders from all the provinces in Bicol will be there as well.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is also made possible with major partners: Camarines Sur Provincial Government, PLDT SME Nation, Smart Communications, Globe Business Solutions, RFM Corporation, National Bookstore, PAGCOR, The Philippine Star, San Miguel Corporation, Condura and Insular Life.

Go Negosyo also thanks event partners: V-cargo, Kettle Korn, and Select Media ; media partners: QTV 11, GMA 7, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, Fullcircle Communications; government partners: Department of Trade and Industry - Batangas, Department of Science and Technology and Regional Operations Undersecretary Merle Cruz with Bicol Regional Director Joy Blanco, SBCorp Chairman Vir Angelo and President Benel Lagua, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Interior and Local Government, The President’s Social Fund.

It all started with a 500-peso capital, way back in 1975. Avelina Miranda used to cook pili nut sweets and sell them to train passengers and tourists in Naga City. In starting the business, she and her husband lived by the terms of “sipag at tiyaga”.

Three years after, wholesalers began ordering Avelina’s product by the bulk. So, the couple hired their very first employee to help them with the work. After almost a decade, they have finally decided to have a small shop and give birth to the business name “RPM Pili Candies”. The initials of the business name originated from the names of the couple’s children – Ray, Pastor Jr., and Minnie – all college graduates. At present, every member of the family is involved in the different operations of the business.

RPM Pili Candies is now one of the largest producers of pili nut products in the Bicol Region. Avelina stands by their reputation and remains very passionate about the taste and quality of the products.

With the positive, innovative and determined attitude of Avelina, the business grew tremendously. She actively participates in various trade shows and exhibits organized by private and government institutions to promote pili nut candies and pastries in difference parts of the country. 

For more than three decades of product development, RPM has become famous especially in Metro Manila. Their pili nut products are already distributed in the leading malls and supermarkets in the city. Their products are also circulated by distributors in the countries of Canada, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, USA, China, Lebanon and Norway.

From the 500-peso capital, because of honest hard work, Avelina and her family have turned their initial pili venture into more than a million-peso worth of business enterprise.

The Basic Necessity

Lyndon Tan always had the passion for agriculture. He was born, raised and educated in Naga City, where his family owned a rice mill.

In 1997, he established the Basic Necessity, Inc., where he decided to focus on the production of lettuce. He wanted to reduce, or even stop, the importation of the vegetable. Presently, his business venture has the largest greenhouse facility in the Philippines. Tan supplies high value crops such as pre-packed lettuce, culinary herbs, cherry tomatoes, etc. under the brand “Salad Time”. Basic Necessity products are distributed in leading supermarkets, hotel and restaurant chains, resorts, institutions and convenience stores nationwide.

With Tan’s dedication to his work, passion for agriculture, and trust in the competence of his workforce; Basic Necessity was certified by the Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system for the company’s high standard in sanitation and quality production.

The company’s commitment to consumers and trade custom is the secret to its success. Tan and his employees work together as they value their respect for each other and commitment to integrity, creativity and passion.
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Avelina Miranda and Lyndon Tan will be recognized as two of the Most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneurs on January 30, 2009 at the Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express Caravan, the very first of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, at the Camarines Sur Convention Center.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte, and the support of the Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Council led by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila. The event will be graced by Senator Manny Villar and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee for MSME Development and recently inducted Press Secretary. Member agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining our forums to share their stories and business advice. Governors and local leaders from all the provinces in Bicol will be there as well.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is also made possible with major partners: Camarines Sur Provincial Government, PLDT SME Nation, Smart Communications, Globe Business Solutions, RFM Corporation, National Bookstore, PAGCOR, The Philippine Star, San Miguel Corporation, Condura and Insular Life.

Go Negosyo also thanks event partners: V-cargo, Kettle Korn, and Select Media ; media partners: QTV 11, GMA 7, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, Fullcircle Communications; government partners: Department of Trade and Industry - Batangas, Department of Science and Technology and Regional Operations Undersecretary Merle Cruz with Bicol Regional Director Joy Blanco, SBCorp Chairman Vir Angelo and President Benel Lagua, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Interior and Local Government, The President’s Social Fund.

In 1988, a wife of an overseas Filipino worker started with an egg production hobby. While Jerly Peyra was miles away from their home in Baao, Camarines Sur, he sent dollar remittances that served as the starting capital for the presently well-established J. PEYRA POULTRY FARM.

Josie (Mrs. Peyra) wanted to be productive in being a wife, at the same time take care of their family. She thought of a business that could unite her family and provide them with source of income. Since their hometown is known to be the “Egg Basket” of Bicol, she thought of venturing in egg production. Josie ran the business with Jerly, even though he was overseas.

Their initial investments covered 100 ready-to-lay-birds, a nipa-made housing, two helpers and a meager amount of rolling capital. While starting, Josie had a hard time coping with the demands of the poultry business. Aside from lack of basic knowledge in poultry production, his husband was in another country working as seaman. This did not prevent Josie to continue their business plan. She observed in nearby poultries, attended seminars, and obtained tips from her veterinarian friends. Jerly, although from a distance, also helped out.

In 1992, Jerly went home to his family and managed the business hands-on. Their poultry farm was doing well. He invested all his savings in the business so that they could go full blast in their operation. Like any other businesses, the J. Peyra Poultry Farm had its own threats, such as stiff competition, financial constraint and poultry diseases.  These did not weaken them. The couple prioritized research and development. They upgraded their facilities and improved their working area, production methods and productivity. All their efforts were rewarded with reduction in costs of production and increase in sales and income.

Today, after 20 years of operations, the J. Peyra Poultry Farm is considered a leader in the local industry. The business is now operating in Camarines Sur with more than 200,000 birds and equipped with 44 poultry houses, 2 warehouses, a feed mill, an office building, and a sales office with egg graders and classifiers. Their market also expanded. From vendors, stall-owners and bakeries, it is now supplying Bicol, Manila and covers about 50% of the Visayas market.

Bicolano Tycoon

Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co is known as one of the most formidable forces in Bicolandia entrepreneurship. He started out with a small construction firm in 1992. The Sunwest Construction and Supply is a sprout from his father’s Hi-Tone Construction.

As the company started to grow, Co renamed it the Sunwest Group of Companies. Presently the Chairman of the Board, his dedication to acquire bigger projects and desire to grasp new challenges never faltered. He later ventured and branched out into real-estate, hotels, eco-tourism, resort development, renewable energy, aviation, mining leasing and franchising, among others.

Co is also the brain behind other companies under the umbrella of Sunwest Group of Companies such as The Sunwestville Realty & Development Corporation (SRDC) – for real estate development and management such as Pristine Memorial Gardens in Legazpi and Ligao City and Renaissance Gardens in Legazpi City, La Venezia Hotel and Spa – the owning company of Hotel Venezia in Legazpi City, and Hotel St. Ellis, as the newest first-class hotels for business and tourism travelers in downtown Legazpi.
With all these accomplishments at a very young age of 38, Co is also a recipient of the 2007 Halyao Awardee as the most Outstanding Bicolano Businessman.

Co is also active in different foundations. A particular foundation that he has set-up is inspired by the ambition of his late father, Delfin Co. The Delfin A. Co Foundation was created to continue the mission and vision of providing scholarships to financially-challenged Bicolano youth who have the potential to pursue a baccalaureate degree.

Jerly Peyra and Elizaldy Co will be recognized as two of the Most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneurs on January 30, 2009 at the Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express Caravan at the Camarines Sur Convention Center. This is first for the year 2009, of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte, and the Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Council led by DTI Secretary Peter Favila. The event will be graced by Senator Manny Villar and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee for MSME Development and recently inducted Press Secretary. Member agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining our forums to share their stories and business advice. Governors and local leaders from all the provinces in Bicol will be there as well.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is also made possible with major partners: Camarines Sur Provincial Government, PLDT SME Nation, Smart Communications, Globe Business Solutions, RFM Corporation, National Bookstore, PAGCOR, The Philippine Star, San Miguel Corporation, Condura and Insular Life.

Go Negosyo also thanks event partners: V-cargo, Kettle Korn, and Select Media ; media partners: QTV 11, GMA 7, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, Fullcircle Communications; government partners: Department of Trade and Industry - Batangas, Department of Science and Technology and Regional Operations Undersecretary Merle Cruz with Bicol Regional Director Joy Blanco, SBCorp Chairman Vir Angelo and President Benel Lagua, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Interior and Local Government, The President’s Social Fund.

 

Eng. Salvador Albia started with what he knew. Being a mechanical engineer, he established his very own backyard enterprise in 1975, the Tropics Agro-Industries. His business initially engaged in the manufacture of tractors and threshers.

 

After a number of years, he created a brand that is now familiar to the Filipino public – the KOLBI trade mark. KOLBI started as Albia’s invention of his very own version of Philippine-made rice mills, after he realized that there is a growing need and potential in the post-harvest industry.

 

Albia then expanded his business to other agricultural machineries, such as grain dryers and corn processing equipment. The continuous expansion of Tropics Agro-Industries has shown Albia’s capacity to innovate as well as his capability to take risks. As an entrepreneur, he saw the strengths of the agricultural machineries industry – the strong market, the availability of skilled manpower, and the availability of technology and basic production facilities.  Even with his accomplishments, he has faced the challenges: the high and oftentimes foreign exchange-dependent cost of the raw material, as well as limited working capital for production.

 

Albia worked through these challenges by seeking for financial assistance. Under the National SME Agenda, DTI endorsed Tropics Agro-Industries to the SB Corporation. The SB Corporation released 1.5 million pesos, with a loan term of three years. The firm used the amount to purchase raw materials and equipment. The company has then expanded into the manufacture of other products that included the newly-developed re-circulating grain dryers as well as post harvest machineries for pili processing.

As the years have passed, Tropics Agro-Industries is now making millions of worth of assets as a result of a successful venture. Its assets have even reached P 7 Million. From simple tools, KOLBI now boasts a factory armed with a complete array of tools and equipment that in effect produce quality machineries, undeniably providing benefit to the entire province as well as the Bicol Region.

 

An engineer’s success

 

Another engineer, Florenio Regala used to work as a busboy and helper in their family karinderia. During his free days, he sold sinapot around town and worked as a shoe-shine boy. He helped his family and made his own money. Growing up, Regala displayed the traits of an entrepreneur in the making.

 

With very much accomplished academic years, he started a new life in America with his own family. He found a job as an electronic assembler and worked his way up. After several years of hard work and perseverance, he eventually became part-owner of a company he worked for.

 

After working for many years for others, he decided to work for himself. He used his house as a company operation facility. His living room became his business office; the garage became his laboratory for research, design and development; and the backyard became his outdoor testing laboratory. During this time, he developed inventions that received patents from the United States Patent Office.

 

In 1999, while visiting his home town of Nabua, he noticed the absence of first class facilities for conventions and lodging that will cater to all. The lack of clean facility, toilets, and parking areas were factors that influenced him to establish the Macagang Business Center in 1999.

 

At present, the Macagang Business Center is a first class tourist accommodation facility, complete with all suite rooms, gym, wellness center, three swimming pools, lazy river, hot and cold Jacuzzis, 9-hole mini-golf course, basketball court, twin-tennis court, skating park and a 20-ft wall climbing facility. Florenio has successfully created synergistic and related jobs and services to the local community, as well as adjacent towns and cities.

 

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Engineers Salvador Albia and Florenio Regala was recognized as two of the Most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneurs on January 30, 2009 at the Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express Caravan, the very first for the year of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, at the Camarines Sur Convention Center.

 

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express was presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with Camarines Sur Governor Lray Villafuerte, and the support of the Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Council led by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila. The event will be graced by Senator Manny Villar and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Oversight Committee for MSME Development and recently inducted Press Secretary. Member agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining our forums to share their stories and business advice. Governors and local leaders from all the provinces in Bicol will be there as well.

 

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express was also made possible with major partners: Camarines Sur Provincial Government, PLDT SME Nation, Smart Communications, Globe Business Solutions, RFM Corporation, National Bookstore, PAGCOR, The Philippine Star, San Miguel Corporation, Condura and Insular Life.

 

Go Negosyo also thanks event partners: V-cargo, Kettle Korn, and Select Media ; media partners: QTV 11, GMA 7, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, Fullcircle Communications; government partners: Department of Trade and Industry - Batangas, Department of Science and Technology and Regional Operations Undersecretary Merle Cruz with Bicol Regional Director Joy Blanco, SBCorp Chairman Vir Angelo and President Benel Lagua, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Interior and Local Government, The President’s Social Fund.