The five Reyes children are now hands-on with the business that their mother, Catalina, built and managed through her hard work and perseverance until her demise in 2020 due to COVID-19.
A solo parent raising five children, Catalina Reyes became one of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries from San Simon, Pampanga in 2012. Later on, she became a parent leader and was active in all 4Ps activities.
San Simon Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) Head Everlita Baluyut recalled that Catalina was determined to provide for her family as she tried different small businesses.
Catalina experienced many failures but she never stopped looking for livelihood opportunities, according to the MSWDO.
“Although meron siyang mga negosyo na nag fail pero patuloy pa rin po siya na nagsubok kung anong negosyo ang maganda or nakikita niyang magiging successful siya,” MSWDO Baluyot told #Kwento ng Pag-Asa at Pagbabago (#KPAP), the award winning documentary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The MSWDO chief admired the determination and diligence of Catalina in seeking ways to improve the status of her family.
The San Simon executive said it was also Catalina who inquired with the DSWD if she can qualify for the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
According to DSWD SLP Focal Person Toni Mari Gutierrez, Catalina qualified for the livelihood program since she was a solo parent and the 4Ps cash grant was not enough for her family of six. As a result, she was given capital assistance.
Catalina’s daughter, Kiara, shared with the #KPAP: “Before po meron siyang tricycle nagse-service siya even kami po ah service niya sa school, tapos nuong napasok po siya sa DSWD 4Ps, tapos yung sa SLP, nabigyan po siya ng P10,000 (puhunan).”
Determination and mastery of making palatable sauces for various kinds of street food paved the way for the 2018 launch of the now successful business of the Reyes family known as the ‘Tiltilan Delicacies.’
“Yung family po namin ay mahilig po sa mga suka tapos napag isipan na why not gawin na lang din siyang business tapos yun nung nabigyan siya [Catalina] ng P10,000, naka-help po yun. Yun po yung ginawang pang-start up at nagtuloy tuloy po kasi nagustuhan ng mga tao,” Kiara narrated.
Katalina and her children worked hand-in-hand to make the sauces with sugarcane vinegar as the main ingredient.
The Tiltilan Delicacies became a family affair with the Reyes children helping Catalina from peeling garlic, cutting onions, grinding chili, to selling vinegar.
From initially selling five boxes containing 30 bottles of sauces, the Reyes family produced 100 boxes per production and earned as high as Php100,000 during the Christmas season, considered as the peak period for their business.
Karissa, another daughter of Catalina, narrated to #KPAP their journey in growing the business through online marketing via their Facebook accounts and by joining trade fairs.
“Nuon, kaunti lang po kaming mga gumagawa, minsan po yun mga friends yung kasama namin sa production ng suka. Nung lumalaki na po, kumukuha na po kami ng mga ka-member niya sa 4Ps everytime meron kaming production,” Karissa said.
In 2020, the Reyes family suffered a devastating loss as Catalina succumbed to COVID-19.
Catalina, however, left a lasting legacy of love to her family with the business she started from scratch and which now continues to thrive even in her absence.
Despite the loss, Catalina’s children always remember the sufferings and hard work of their mom in trying to give them the best possible future.
With tears in her eyes, Kiara said: “Sayang lang po na hindi niya naabutan na makapag-give back kami sa kanya kasi noon pong nawala siya parang nag-start pa lang po kasi kami noon, yung mga kapatid ko is saktong patapos pa lang po sa college. Pero thankful po kasi hindi po kami lalaking ganito kundi sa kanya.”
Karissa also expressed her gratitude to her mom who sacrificed for them and explored all possible means to improve their lives. She likewise thanked the DSWD for 4Ps, and especially for the SLP which granted her mother the opportunity to be a successful entrepreneur.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa SLP kasi binigyan po ng opportunity yung mama namin na makapagsimula po ng ganitong business dahil po doon ay nakapagtapos kaming mga magkakapatid,” Karissa stressed.
The #KPAP is a joint production of the Traditional Media Service (TMS) and the Digital Media Service (DMS) which are under the Strategic Communications. It is hosted by Director Aldrine Fermin of the TMS and is posted every Tuesday on the DSWD’s official Facebook page. (GDVF)