Cresilda

Cresilda is a 57-year-old entrepreneur from a remote village in Cebu Province who lives with her husband, Ernesto, and their family. The couple have three children. One child is married and living independently, while their two daughters are currently studying in college and high school. Together, Cresilda and Ernesto work hard to build their business and provide for their family's future, particularly the educational needs of their children.

For almost 10 years, Cresilda has been producing and selling her signature chicharron (fried pork belly), which has become a popular product among customers. In addition to chicharron, she offers a wide selection of local delicacies and snacks at her roadside stall, including piyaya, otap, banana chips, dried rice (ampaw), hopia, kai-kai, dried mangoes and other regional products. She also sells fresh buko juice, providing an additional source of income.

Most of Cresilda's customers are travellers passing through the area who purchase pasalubong to take home to family and friends. To ensure a reliable supply of ingredients, pork belly is sourced from a supplier in Mandaue who delivers twice each month.

With the assistance of two employees, Cresilda begins preparing her chicharron as early each day. During busy periods and times of high demand, production can continue into the evening, and additional workers are hired when required to help fulfil customer orders.

To support the continued growth of her business, Cresilda applied for a new loan from Lendwithcare local partner, LAMAC. She plans to use the funding as additional working capital to purchase pork belly, cooking oil and spices, while also restocking delicacies and other fast-selling products. By expanding her inventory, she hopes to meet increasing customer demand, increase sales and improve profitability.

Through years of hard work and careful management, Cresilda has built a thriving business that supports her household and her children's education. She believes that additional working capital will help her strengthen the enterprise and continue serving her growing customer base.