Weaving is a family traition passed on to Baguio
City-based businesswoman, Mayalyn T. Dagoh. Despite the many challenges she faced, she persisted
with the support of CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank
For some families, weaving is more than
just a craft, it is an important tradition that intricately
holds one generation to
another. Forty-two-yearold businesswoman Mayalyn T. Dagoh from Baguio
City learned how to weave
from her own family.
P o s t – c o l l e g e ,
Mayalyn was employed as
a storekeeper. The birth
A woven…
of her first child led her to
re-assess her career, ultimately resigning from her
job. She briefly dabbled in
the BPO industry, but the
demands of her role drove
her to seek a means of living closer to home. Thus,
she turned to weaving.
After establishing
her business, she joined
an association assisted
by a government agency, which supplies materials and grants funds
to produce handicrafts.
While their earnings were
dis-tributed equitably within the association, the
challenge of maintaining
her own business persisted, leading her to seek
financial assistance from
CARD Bank.
Becoming a
CARD Bank client in 2009
was a turning point for
Mayalyn. Through CARD
Bank, she was able to access loan products to buy
the raw materials vital to
her business. With other
financial and non-financial products like savings
and microinsurance from
CARD Bank, she even
persuaded her relatives to
also become clients of the
institution.
At the onset of
the pandemic in 2020,
Mayalyn faced a financial crisis as her business
funds de-pleted to meet
their daily needs. CARD
Bank once again provided a lifeline, enabling her
to revi-talize her business.
Employing digital platforms like Facebook, she
navigated the restrictions
and kept her business
thriving through online
selling.
Post-pandemic,
her business witnessed
significant growth. Her
handicrafts became a staple at major tourist spots
in Baguio City. Despite the
stiff competition, Mayalyn
thrived due to her loyal
customer base. She is
now able to comfortably
provide for her child, the
testament of her tenaci-ty
and hard work.
Reflecting on her
journey, Mayalyn said, “I
promised myself to strive
hard for my child, and that
commitment has been my
driving force that brought
me where I am today. I
also urge people to understand their priorities. With
a clear goal in mind, they
can surmount all challenges that may come their
way.” Indeed, Mayalyn’s
dedication serves as inspiration for others as well.
