From Lens to Limelight

Flordeliza C. Taña, a CARD Bank client from Bankerohan, Davao City, began her journey with a small business and a dream for her family. Through years of perseverance and dedication, that dream grew beyond entrepreneurship and eventually led her to the world of arts and filmmaking.

Today, Flordeliza inspires the CARD MRI community not only as a client but also as a storyteller. This is proof that dreams nurtured with passion and determination can grow beyond imagination.

A journey built on family and business

Flordeliza has been running a photography business since 1998. Together with her husband, she worked tirelessly to sustain their livelihood while raising their children and supporting their education.

In 2006, she became a client of CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO), with an initial loan of PHP 3,000. As her business gradually expanded, she later transitioned to CARD Bank, Inc., a microfinance-oriented rural bank, where she now manages a PHP 80,000 loan to sustain and further grow her photography business.

Over the years, the support she received from CARD Bank helped strengthen her livelihood and enabled her to send her two children to college through educational loans. For more than two decades, CARD Bank has remained part of her journey toward stability and growth.

Rediscovering a childhood dream

Beyond entrepreneurship, Flordeliza has always carried a childhood dream of becoming an actor. Through CARD MRI’s cultural and creative programs, she found the opportunity to pursue this passion.

As an active member of the CARD Bank Waling-Waling Center in Davao City, she regularly participates in CARD MRI events and programs. Her involvement eventually opened doors to filmmaking and performing arts.

In 2022, she joined the SineMaya: CARD MRI Community Film Festival as the director and scriptwriter of their film “Ngiti sa Likod ng Lente”. The film received several recognitions, including Best Actress, Best Actor, Second Best Film, and the Founder’s Choice Award.

She later joined the fourth edition of SineMaya with their film “Huling Handog”, which was one of the nominees in the festival.

Growing in the Creative Field

Flordeliza continues to explore her talents beyond filmmaking. In 2025, she joined the TAN-AWA, CARD MRI’s singing and songwriting competition, where she became one of the Top 7 finalists during its first edition.

Moreover, she is now part of the cast of the second film of BENTE Productions, CARD MRI’s multimedia company. The film production is ongoing in Iloilo, where she will portray “Tita Matudz,” one of the supporting characters.

Aside from acting, Flordeliza is also set to direct another CARD MRI film titled “Pangandoy”. She is also collaborating with fellow TAN-AWA Season 1 finalists to compose and perform an original song that TAN-AWA Season 2 participants will perform.

From a small business owner seeking financial support, Flordeliza has grown into an artist who now contributes to storytelling, music, and film within the CARD MRI community.

Her journey shows that opportunities, when paired with determination and passion, can open new paths in life. Through CARD MRI’s programs and community, she was able to strengthen her livelihood, support her family, and rediscover a dream she has carried since childhood.

For Flordeliza, the experience is a reminder that it is never too late to pursue one’s passion. “Sa tulong ng CARD, hindi lang ako naging mas matatag sa negosyo at sa buhay. Nabuksan din ang pintuan para matupad ko ang pangarap kong maging bahagi ng sining at pelikula. Pinatunayan ng aking karanasan na hindi kailanman huli ang lahat para sundan at abutin ang ating mga pangarap,” (With the help of CARD, I did not only become stronger in business and in life. It also opened doors for me to fulfill my dream of becoming part of the arts and film industry. My experience proves that it is never too late to pursue and achieve our dreams, she shared.)