HOW CARD MRI HELPED TATAY MANDING GROW HIS KAKANIN LEGACY

 For Armando “Tatay Manding” Japones, traditional Filipino kakanin is more than a livelihood. It is a family legacy that has survived challenges with patience, hard work, and the financial support that helped his small business rise again.

Growing up in Saguday, Quirino Province, Tatay Manding learned the art of making bibingkang kanin, kalamay, puto, and kutsinta from his parents. Since childhood, he helped them prepare these delicacies, learning that good kakanin cannot be rushed. Every mixture requires careful stirring, while every batch must be cooked slowly and at the right time to achieve its distinct texture and flavor.

In 1990, after getting married, Tatay Manding and his wife decided to sell the extra homemade bibingkang kanin they had prepared for a snack. Their neighbors loved the taste, encouraging the couple to start selling door to door. Tatay Manding stayed home to cook while his wife carried a single bilao of bibingka around the neighborhood.

The small venture soon grew. They added kalamay, puto, and kutsinta to their products, turning a simple family recipe into a growing livelihood.

However, supporting the education of their five children brought new challenges. His wife eventually worked abroad, and the kakanin business had to temporarily stop. When she returned in 2010, their savings had already been spent on their children's schooling, leaving the family without capital to restart.

That same year, they became clients of CARD MRI Rizal Bank, Inc. (CARD RBI), a microfinance-oriented rural bank under CARD MRI. Through CARD RBI's financial services, the couple was able to rebuild their savings. In 2011, Tatay Manding obtained his first loan, which became the starting capital for the return of their kakanin business. They also formally registered the enterprise with the Department of Trade and Industry that year.

For Tatay Manding, CARD RBI's support became a financial lifeline at a crucial point in the family's journey. He used loans to sustain the business and, during difficult periods, help finance his children's education. By maintaining a good repayment record, he gradually gained access to larger loans that allowed the family to sustain operations and expand distribution to other municipalities in Quirino. The experience reflects CARD MRI's broader commitment to providing financial services that help microentrepreneurs build sustainable livelihoods.

Over the years, their kakanin became known for its distinct flavor and traditional preparation. In 2024, Tatay Manding's special bibingka and their family story were featured in Spectrum, the official newsletter of the Saguday Local Government Unit, recognizing their products as a taste of home, heritage, and community pride. Their kakanin have also earned top honors in provincial delicacy competitions.

As their reputation grew, however, so did attempts to imitate their products. Some customers removed their labels and sold the kakanin under other names, while others falsely used Tatay Manding's name for their own products. But loyal customers could recognize the original taste.

“Haan met kun Tatay Manding ditoy,” or “This isn't Tatay Manding's,” became a familiar response whenever customers encountered an imitation.

At one point, a businessman offered Tatay Manding PHP 50,000 for his secret recipe so the products could be mass-produced. He refused, choosing instead to protect the recipe passed down by his parents and preserve it for his children. He offered to supply the businessman wholesale instead, ensuring that the original products would continue to carry his family's identity.

Keeping that identity also means staying faithful to traditional methods. Tatay Manding and his family often begin preparing and slow-cooking their kakanin a day before large orders are collected. The process is labor intensive, but they believe it is essential to maintaining the freshness, texture, and flavor that customers have come to trust.

Today, their kakanin reach neighboring provinces and are ordered in bulk by cooperatives and major companies. Their products have also reached international buyers who resell them in Macau and Hong Kong. From a single bilao sold around their neighborhood, the family now earns approximately PHP 30,000 a month from the business.

The family's progress has also brought changes to their daily lives. Most of their children are now married, while the youngest remains with them. The couple also owns an e-bike, making deliveries easier and helping them serve more customers.

For Tatay Manding, responsible borrowing is an important part of growing a business. His experience with CARD RBI, and the wider CARD MRI microfinance network, taught him to view loans not as a burden but as a tool for strengthening an enterprise. He believes borrowed money should be used to expand the business and that repayments must always be included in the budget.

“Nu ag-loan ka, siguraduen nga pampalawaem ta negosyom,” he said, reminding fellow entrepreneurs to make sure that borrowed money is used to expand the business.

Looking ahead, Tatay Manding and his wife hope to improve their packaging, strengthen their brand, open a localized food cart, and eventually explore franchising.

Their journey proves that some of the most meaningful successes are built slowly. Like their signature bibingkang kanin, their story needed patience, discipline, and time.

What began as a simple afternoon snack became a source of education for five children, a livelihood for a family, and eventually a culinary identity for a community.

For Tatay Manding, every batch of kakanin carries more than a familiar flavor. It carries the memory of his parents, the sacrifices of his family, and a legacy he hopes the next generation will continue to stir, cook, protect, and proudly share.