By Josephine Ramos
At 62 years old, Josefina Mantuano keeps life sweet with her homemade candies such as yema, pastillas, and mazapan.
It was in 2006 when the then stay-at-home mother started making yema candies when it became a popular small business in her native Lipa City, Batangas. While Josefina was raising her kids, she was encouraged by her sister-in-law to sell yema to earn on the side.
Recognizing the product’s potential, Josefina invested in candy molds and started making her version. She then began delivering her products straight to Pasig, a city she knew inside out thanks to her past job and many relatives living there.
In 2007, just six months after starting her business, an acquaintance introduced her to CARD SME Bank, a thrift bank under CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI).
Josefina took out an initial loan of PHP 5,000, which she immediately used to buy ingredients like milk and oil. From then on, she would occasionally secure a loan from the institution to buy needed ingredients to keep her business going.
Josefina’s most unforgettable business challenge occurred in 2009 with Typhoon Ondoy. Ironically, demand for sweets doubled during the calamity. However, making deliveries became a struggle as the Pasig Public Market was submerged in knee-deep floods. For two months, all deliveries were made by boat. It was tough, especially since candies are heavy and there is a possibility that the boat would flip over, but she pushed through that fear. Josefina also made sure to bring food for her customers, who were not forced to pay on time and were told to pay when they could. Josefina knew that she could always rely on CARD SME Bank. She even took out a PHP 200,000.00 loan from the bank to buy a machine to speed up business production.
Today, Josefina is one of only four remaining yema makers in their neighborhood. She survived the competition by holding firm to her standards.
As she explained, “Hindi ko binago yung quality ng aking produkto. Hindi ako gumamit ng mas murang ingredients para lang magkaroon ng mataas na tubo kasi iniingatan ko ang kalidad ng aking produkto.Her hard work has truly taken them a long way.
Her team is now composed of 12 employees producing around 3,000 packs of assorted yema, pastillas, and mazapan every week and is a supplier to 15 stores across Pasig.
Through her hard work, Josefina managed to acquire a delivery van, which she has been using for the past 10 years now. She now also rents a bigger production space close to her home to keep up with growing demand.
In the coming years, Josefina hopes to tap into neighboring cities around Pasig to reach more potential customers. Beyond expansion, she is also thrilled to know that her child is willing to take over when she finally decides to retire. A move that will keep their business alive for the next generations to come.
