Yes, Virginia, business and God’s work mix
By Madonna Virola
Southern Luzon Bureau
INQ7.net, Philippine
Last updated 09:03pm (Mla time) 08/05/2007
TAGAYTAY CITY–Dong Cano, A Christian pastor, has all the reasons to be happy about his native handicraft business.
The former seminarian produces curtains, canopies, shawls, bags, mosquito and wall nets, hampers, baskets, craft lampshades, glass covers, pitcher covers and throw pillows.
Cano supplies to Balikbayan Handicrafts, Regalong Pambahay, ShoeMart, Rustan’s, Shangrila in Makati and Harrison Plaza in Mabini. He also exports to the United States, Japan and Europe.
“I’m not profit-oriented though or I would be very rich by now,” he says, adding that his income is just enough also to support the out-of-school youth that he has been tapping in the business.
Cano claims the name of his business, Abundant Handicraft, was inspired by the Bible.
“My mission is to be Godly, to reach out to the needy and down,” he says.
He does not mind that his products are sometimes copied, thinking that his God-given creativity is unlimited.
Cano worked as product developer for 11 years in a big Spanish-owned company in Cavite, which exports leather bags.
The closing down of the company in 1986 opened the door to his hobby.
Starting with only with P300 capital, his hobby materialized into business in 1999, with his wife Cecilia as its highly efficient production manager.
“I no longer wanted to get tired working on something which I really didn’t like. If it’s a hobby, you’re happy every day–money is secondary. I like handicrafts, I love nature,” says Cano.
He started with bags, accessories (necklace, bracelet) and curtains (100 percent cotton from Ilocos).
He is also fond of using as material the bark of a tree in Bicol and abandoned dead trees, vines and nuts.
Cano’s gross income per month ranges from a low of P35,000 to a high of P250,000.
During leisure time, Cano sings praises to God, jogs and does push-ups.
Cano has also had his share of “down moments” in the business.
“What helped me was my being positive in all ways. I was determined to be successful and my inspiration has been my wife and children,” he says.
In terms of product development, he advises: “There should be originality and honesty because these will last. All that is fake will fade away.”
(Abundant Handicrafts is in Pasipit, Silang, Cavite, with Tel. No. (046)8650375, 0918-4316973 and email address at abundant_handicrafts@yahoo.com)
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