John Carlo Eclipse, 27 years old, native of Bangan, Sanchez Mira hailed from a family of local fisher folks from the province. He is fondly called as a young entrepreneur making a huge impact in the world of agribusiness. His innovative agricultural techniques made him known and successful in the world of agricultural entrepreneurship. His perseverance, combined with determination, and positive outlook in life equipped with his astonishing skills and talents made a giant leap on agricultural diversification in the municipality.
Currently, his famous “Hydroponics Gardening” project continuously makes a noise within and the neighboring municipalities. Behind this inspiring and gratifying story of Carlo were series of ambiguities, heartaches and loopholes.
His strong willed and optimistic personality drives him into every single opportunity to earn to provide for his family. To mention a few: tricycle driving, farming, and vegetable vending. At a young age he already engaged himself to share his parent’s familial obligation to make both ends meet. Carlo, despite familys’ financial challenges, was determined to finish his course as he was in his 3rd year as Agricultural Engineering student. During daytime, Carlo earns from tricycle driving, borrowing his brother’s unit for his daily school allowance. The determined and strong-willed Carlo takes every single opportunity to feed his family.
Also, as a DOLE’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) baby, part of his salaries was used to buy vegetable seeds and seedlings and the rest was used to finance his final leap to 4th year (graduation). With his perseverance to bring more for his family, he ventured to vegetable vending. Carlo always wanted the best for his family.
After graduation, he worked with LGU-PESO Sanchez Mira under the DOLE’s Government Internship Program (GIP). Carlo, after his contract he pursued his passion in vegetable farming. The ambitious Carlo took every opportunity he heard and learned that may take him to be self-sufficient. Hence, with the assistance of LGU-PESO Sanchez Mira he was one of the recipients of the DOLE Starter Kit Program for his stationary vegetable vending. He was granted livelihood assistance on March 2021. As his market expands, his stationary vegetable vending turned to mobile vegetable vending. Eventually led him to vegetable production. With the support of his relatives, an idle land was lent to him for this economic undertaking.
Currently his vegetable production is established in a 3,500 square meter land located in barangay Bangan. Another 800 square meter. Making all of his earnings from his stationary vegetable vending, a DOLE –LGU Sanchez Mira assisted livelihood project.
Carlos’ livelihood has dramatically made its way in helping embody food availability particularly vegetables. Most people can’t afford modern supermarkets. However, the economic disruption instigated by COVID-19 upsurge threatened millions of livelihoods in the country. As a result of the significant impact on the livelihood of the workers, many people have lost their jobs and income. But among those who stood resilient was Carlo. Despite a limited number of customers, Carlo taught a door-to-door service delivery strategy. Undoubtedly, Carlo’s sales went down but this didn’t discourage him to help. Amidst the pandemic and financial crisis, his generosity was manifested when he participated in the establishment of a community pantry in his barangay.
He was able to transfer technology to young students in all the 18 barangays of Sanchez Mira in vegetable gardening. He was also able to employ at least 10 individuals starting from soil preparation to marketing. Also, he was able to generate employment through reselling by individuals. Through his lettuce in a cup, Carlo was able to make lettuce available year round that benefit individuals not only from barangay Bangan, but also to adjacent municipalities and establishments such as restaurants and hotels. The advantage of the availability of lettuce in the locality is its freshness. He continues to inspire people by his passion and dedication to make an impact in the locality and contributes to the economic growth of the municipality. With a positive outlook in life, perseverance and fortitude he was able to change holistically not only his life but also his community.
Meanwhile, one of his ultimate goals is to venture into shrimp production. His long-term goal is to establish a one stop agribusiness that would encourage young entrepreneurs to venture into agricultural entrepreneurship and at the same time generate employment.
“Ang tagumpay sa pagnenegosyo ay hindi nangangailangang ng isang henyo.Kailangan mong magpursigi at maging masigasig para sa katuparan ng iyong tagumpay.” Carlo elaborated. As quotation goes “Success is not what you do continuously, but what you do consistently.”. ###
