All Roads Lead Home

There are people who turn to diviners for various reasons. Others, like Frederick Burgos from Tanauan, Batangas, want to know what destiny holds in store for him.

Frederick, like many others, had ambitious plans in life, particularly for his family. He is among those who believe in prophecies.

Back then, he was a corporate employee. However, his salary was not enough to provide a decent living for his family. This became one of the reasons why he resigned from his job and consulted a fortune-teller to know if he should go abroad to succeed in life.

The fortune-teller told Frederick that he would find success in his native land rather than in another country.

“I used it as my inspiration in life to work harder and achieve success I seek in life,” Frederick said.

Together with his wife, he began selling vegetables in the market, which became their family’s main source of income. They also opt to sell unripe coconut or buko in the vernacular term, which led to a meeting with a mall supervisor.

“I had no idea one of my customers was a mall supervisor when I was selling buko [juice] that day,” he said.

“He liked it and was satisfied with the quality of the buko I was selling,” he added.

That encounter paved the way for Frederick to become the buko supplier in a mall in Batangas, wherein the business began to flourish.

To expand the business, Frederick also ventured into selling quality-outsourced vegetables and fruits such as bananas, which was also noticed by the said mall.

“I was giving it away for free, but the mall staff paid for it and even offered to make me his supplier of bananas, fruits, and vegetables that we sell,” Frederick explained.

Meanwhile, his business, like many others, is also going through difficulties as it expands, particularly when it comes to managing inventories and supplies. There were times of supply shortage and financing inadequacy, which made it difficult to deliver bulk orders to the clients and other partnered wholesalers and retailers in the past.

“At the time when we needed additional capital for the business, CARD SME Bank was open for us, and it has also been our shoulder to lean on whenever we need additional financial assistance,” he said.

CARD SME Bank, Inc. is a fast-growing thrift bank of CARD MRI that provides Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (MSMEs) much needed financial support to sustain their businesses which will ultimately improve the economic landscape of our trading areas.

Currently, Frederick’s business continues to progress. In addition to quality buko, fruits, and vegetables, they now also sell eggs, charcoal, and vinegar made from Kaong, a sweet palm fruit juice that is fermented for three days, bottled, and sold directly in the market.

He also now handles their piggery business as their new and another source of income.

“For other CARD clients, use your loans efficiently; and for other micro entrepreneurs, when you come to losses, don’t stop, instead double your efforts, be patient, and just hold on to the power of your dreams because these would give you clarity of mind and make you optimistic in life,” he said.

“With my success over the years, the prophecy has only been proven right.  We can really find success in our homeland. Just be strategic, patient, and simply trust in God,” he concluded.