Love for food sustains Mandaue factory worker

Perseverance kept former factory worker Genalyn Patalita and her family from going down financially long after experiencing debacles that would have crushed people of lesser fortitude.

“My husband and I used to work as production personnel in a fashion accessories factory but the crisis affected the company and we were laid off in 2008,” Genalyn told Cebu Daily News.

With no degree, she and her husband Gadfray had trouble finding employment and so decided to invest her P70,000 severance pay on a small restaurant in a rented space in the North Reclamation Area near the White Gold Club.

The restaurant failed to take off. “We were there for only two weeks and had to stop because there were no customers. The area is not that accessible,” Genalyn said.

Undeterred, she borrowed P1,000 to start a small eatery in San Jose, Guizo, Mandaue City near A.S. Fortuna Memorial Elementary School.

“My husband is fond of cooking and it was really him who persuaded me to join him in  doing a food business,” Genalyn said.

The couple sold “dinuguan (meat stew),” pork steak, stewed pork, meat balls and lumpia shanghai (meat and vegetable roll) in 2008.

Since then, the eatery became a profitable source of income for the family.

Genalyn and Gadfray’s kids Vanette and Bridgette are attending school while their youngest, three-year-old Mayette will attend nursery next school year.

Genalyn said she and her husband start their day by shopping for ingredients at 4 a.m.

“At 6 a.m I prepare our kids to school while my husband cooks some of the dishes. When I get back from school, I help him with the other dishes which we bring to our stall near the Mandaue Memorial Elementary School in time before lunch,” she said.

Genalyn said they earn at least P1,500 everyday which they budget for savings, personal and operational income.

She said they develop new dishes to keep their patrons and draw more customers.

“While we want to offer lower prices, we alsoo don’t want to sacrifice our quality that is why we always assure our customers that our food tastes better.” she said.

Genalyn said she always saves some of the profits for savings and emergency funds.

Patalita is one of 23 contestants of the recently concluded Search for WINNERS organized by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry held at the Cebu International Convention Center last Aug. 24.

The search is part of their month-long Mandaue Business Month celebration which they aim to empower women entrepreneurs in Mandaue City.

Genalyn said she continues to hope for better prospects for their small business.

“My husband really cooks well and with our experience in doing the business for almost three years now, we think we can do better and manage a restaurant with delicious food dishes,” she said.