RAFI awardee: Perseverance, hard work key to bright future

Have a vision for your business. Be determined to achieve it.

This was the advice of Elvira Pantaleon, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Micro-finance 2011 Most Outstanding Client, to the 3,289 women clients who attended the RAFI Micro-finance 8th general assembly at the University of San Carlos gymnasium last Dec. 3.

“Don’t waste your time. Persevere and work hard for your business because it can provide a bright future for your families. Be patient,” she said in her acceptance speech.

She said micro-entrepreneurs should personally manage their businesses and should learn from the day-to-day challenges that they encounter in dealing with their employees and customers for their business to grow and their skills to be enhanced.

Pantaleon received a P25,000 cash prize and a plaque from RAFI chief operating officer Dominica Chua, Mercantile Insurance Micro-insurance Department manager Jose Ma. Dadivas and RAFI Micro-finance executive director Ma. Theresa Catipay.

The assembly attended by clients from various branches in Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte also gave out awards to the best chairperson, best secretary, best group and best center or meeting place.

Special awards were given to clients with the highest savings, highest referral of members, zero defaults and the most active Client Advisory Board.

An award was given to Virgilia Bonghanoy who made it to the semi-finals for the Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year Award for 2011.

Agnes Lacson, chief operating officer of City Savings Bank, was the keynote speaker. She pointed out three ingredients to becoming a successful micro-entrepreneur—vision, determination and hard work.

The clients displayed talents during the Nanays Got Talent contest as well as dance numbers and comical skits of the Buzy Buddies.

The sidelights of the general assembly included trade fair of various products from different towns in Cebu, medical mission that offered consultations and cervical screening to 450 women and children and a Kid’s Corner where children were treated to a film showing, courtesy of the Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund of RAFI.

For more information on RAFI Micro-finance, contact Mary Donnavel Libron at 418-7234 local 706 or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.