In Photo: Teodorica Corables proudly holds out a tray of freshly steamed siopao, a labor of love, perseverance, and hard work.
To preserve the siopao business her husband has started, Teodorica Cabales from Calapan City dedicated herself to perfecting a recipe that would win the hearts of many customers.
Originally from San Teodoro, Teodorica later settled in Calapan City with her family. Life was not easy early on. After finishing elementary school, she began working as a household helper for relatives. As she grew older, she continued working as a helper for different families. At 16, she chose to live with her partner, longing for someone she could depend on.
Her husband was a meat butcher, while she became a meat vendor at a local market. The couple spent many years working side by side in the market. Then in 1989, her husband decided to venture into the siopao business.
The story behind the business
Teodorica’s husband often delivered meat to a siopao store, which sparked his interest in starting a similar business. Encouraged by the idea, he decided to give it a try. However, just a year later, and for some reason, he decided to drop the venture, which pushed Teodorica to take over. With no prior knowledge of siopao making, the process initially proved difficult for her, but she persevered tirelessly until she developed a siopao recipe she was proud of.
To promote her product, she personally went from place to place, selling at stalls, schools, and neighborhoods. What began with a simple cart eventually evolved into a mobile food cart mounted on a tricycle in 2018.
With the help of her children, they can produce around 300 pieces of siopao each day. One of her children helps her make the siopao, while the other takes charge of selling it. Their production starts at 10:00 am and ends at 2:00 pm, and they sell it from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Even her other children, now living in Batangas and Laguna, have followed their footsteps and started their own siopao business, carrying on the family legacy.
For over three decades, Teodorica’s business has stood the test of time. Through all the years, she has remained committed to maintaining the same quality and taste that keeps customers coming back.
Whenever she falls short on capital, she turns to CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank. She became a client in 2007 and has since relied on the institution for business loans to support her siopao business. Currently, she has a loan of PHP 150,000.00, which she uses to purchase raw materials, especially now that prices are continuously increasing.
Teodorica offers her siopao at affordable prices, ranging from PHP 15.00 to PHP 30.00, ensuring that everyone can enjoy and experience the taste of her product.
“For the future of my business, my biggest hope is to have my own store. I am working hard every day, together with my children, to make that dream come true,” she concluded.(Josephine Ramos, Junior Writer/CARD MRI)
