As an elementary graduate, Huganda Cister, 50, holds a deep passion for ensuring that her longheld dream of completing education becomes a reality; even if she could not achieve it for herself, she is focused on ensuring that her children can accomplish what she could not.
Huganda was born in Santiago Island, a small island in Bolinao, Pangasinan. As the second of the 13 siblings, she helped her parents provide for their family. Driven by this sense of duty, she moved to Manila at 15, right after graduating from elementary school, to work as a housemaid.
She spent almost 10 years of her life in Manila, but eventually chose to settle back in her hometown in Pangasinan after getting married.
With her husband as a fisherman, they first venture into buying and selling fish. They soon learned that the fish they were selling were often turned into dried fish. This insight inspired them to venture into making and selling their dried fish.
They found making dried fish surprisingly easy despite it being their first time. They simply needed to cut the fish in half and ensure it was thoroughly sun-dried.
Before her eldest was about to start college in 2013, Huganda went abroad. Although being away from her family was tough, the thought of her children missing out on their education due to financial struggles was even harder to bear.
“I’ve experienced a lack of education, and it’s been tough. Growing up, I wanted to try different careers, but my educational background held me back. That is why I don’t want my children to face the same struggle as I did,” she said.
She spent two years working abroad, and after saving enough, she returned home and resumed making dried fish.
This business is ideal for them since they are close to the sea. However, like any business, it has its highs and lows. While their profits are high during sunny days, they fluctuate during the rainy season.
On days with favorable weather and plenty of customers, they can sell up to 300 kilos of dried fish daily. Because of this, many of their neighbors lend a hand in their business.
“In addition to earning from this business, I am glad to provide a livelihood opportunity to my neighbors,” she said happily.
Another key factor that allowed her to continue her business was the support she received from CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO). She became a client of the institution in 2009. In 2013, she decided to temporarily leave the institution to work abroad. After returning to the Philippines, she immediately rejoined CARD, Inc. in 2015.
“Based on my past experience with CARD, Inc., I can say that I am satisfied with its services and products. The loan products are a huge help for someone like me who needs a lot of capital to sustain a business”, she said.
She started with an initial loan of PHP 3,000.00 as additional capital for her dried fish business. Now, she has secured a PHP 95,000.00 loan, which she uses to support and expand her thriving enterprise.
Huganda’s business has allowed her to send all four of her children to school, with two who already earned their degrees and the other two currently in college. In 2018, her family opened a sari-sari store as an additional source of income. They have also acquired two vehicles, which they use to deliver their dried fish.
Looking ahead, Huganda dreams of further expanding her business and providing more job opportunities in their community.
