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(Sixth
of a series)
 Clemencia
A. Padre is the owner/manager of Ilocos Food
Products (IFP) that’s making barangay Taleb in Bantay,
Ilocos Sur, such a crunchy byword.
Born on
July 1, 1958, in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, the future food
innovator tucks a B.S. Commerce education from the
Divine Word College of Laoag in Ilocos Norte.
Padre
started IFP in 1990 with P15,000 in capital, producing
and distributing Ilocos delicacies, such as sweet potato
chips, basi (sugar-cane wine), banana chips,
bibingka (glutinous rice cake, polvoron and vinegar,
among others.
But
IFC’s “champion” product is chichacorn or crunchy
corn bits.
In 1995
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provided
technical and financial assistance to acquire packaging
materials, mechanical dryer, automatic packaging
machine, and wastewater-treatment facility for
chichacorn production.
The
assistance package also covered banana chips and
camote (sweet potato) chips (packaging materials,
automatic slicer), vinegar (pasteurizing vessel, setting
tank), squash canton noodles (mixer, kneader with
cutter), and roasted peanuts (peanut roasting machine).
In 2002,
DOST/Setup enhanced support to IFC by providing steam
jacketed kettle, fermenting jars, mechanical crusher,
washing vessel and receiving tank for basi
(sugar-cane wine) production. The support package also
included training on mango processing and provision of
drying facility.
Today,
IFP is a leader in Ilocano delicacies feeding a widening
customer base in the Philippines, Australia, Canada,
Guam, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
So far,
IFC chomped its way to the “Top Seller in Processed Food
Sector, Megma (1999, 2000, 2001),” and a Plaque of
Recognition as Regional High-Value Commercial Crop
Processor, Gawad Saka 2001-2002.
 Joseph
G. Lomibao and his wife Lydia, started small
but dreamed big.
In 1999,
the couple started to produce and distribute pili tart
to offices and pasalubong outlets in Naga City.
Joseph, born on July 18, 1975, in Olongapo City has set
a vision.
Apparently, they have a winning product as demand
eventually pushed their production capacity to its
5,000-piece monthly limit. What started off as a P500
venture became J. Emmanuel Pastries (JEP’s), a popular
brand based in Canaman, Camarines Sur.
JEP’s
big break came in 2004 when DOST’s Setup provided
assistance to modernize and improve its operation and
product packaging. It included plant layout/design
enhancement, Good Manufacturing Practice training,
product testing and analyses, innovative package
design/labeling and waste management.
The
technology upgrade also covered the acquisition of
semimechanized equipment like roasting machine, oven,
pili juice and oil extractor, vacuum packing and
sealing equipment, and stainless-top working tables.
In 2005,
monthly production swelled to 30,000 with annual sales
of P3 million, and generated employment from seven to
25.
By
participating in food expositions and fairs, such as the
Asean Food and Beverage Exposition in Tokyo in 2006, and
China-Asean Expo in Nanjing, China, the company’s
products made their way to many Japanese malls and
households.
Today,
JEP ships out its pili nut pro-ducts to Japan.
The
Lomibao couple and J. Emmanuel Pastries have since
become favorite media topics. Their success story has
reaped awards, notably the 2007 Gawad Saka
Award-Regional Outstanding High Value Commercial Crops
Processor cited by President Arroyo in her 2007 Sona.
 Virgilio
C. Jose, the general manager of VJANDEP
Bakeshop based in Cagayan de Oro City, is very proud of
their product—the popular pastel.
“Pastel”
is Spanish for cake. For many years, the Ballozos family
of Camiguin Island used to prepare and serve the
delicacy only during fiestas. That’s until a member of
the family decided to develop it into a business.
In 1990,
Eleonor Jose, a descendant of the Ballozos, started
pastel production with a capital of P120 from the bonus
of her husband, Lt. Col. Virgilio Jose. Daily production
was three to five boxes. Each box contains 12 pieces of
pastel. The all-manual production used milk cans as
molders and improvised drum oven.
In 2001
the Science and Technology Program for Mindanao (STPM),
the forerunner of the Small Enterprise Technology
Upgrading Program (Setup), provided an opportunity for
VJANDEP. It requested for technology assistance through
DOST-Northern Mindanao
Region. The support came in the amount of P920,000 for
the acquisition of modern processing equipment that
significantly raised daily production to 270 to 350
boxes.
The DOST
also provided VJANDEP with technical assistance, such as
training on Good Manufacturing Practices, Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Points, Manufacturing
Productivity Extension Program, and right packaging and
labeling, among others.
The
DOST’s assistance enabled VJANDEP to briskly expand with
production volume soaring to over 3,000 percent. Boxes
of the pastel are now available in the grocery shelves
of the SM chain, Market! Market!, Gaisano Mall and many
others. It has also become a preferred item as “pasalubong
ng bayan” for many airline passengers leaving
Cagayan de Oro airport.
VJANDEP’s success earned it recognitions, such as the
Most Inspiring Entrepreneur from Northern Mindanao-Go
Negosyo (CDO Chapter); and Outstanding Business
Enterpreneur (CDO Chamber of Commerce).
(To be continued) |
