By Cyrus A. Natividad

Rebecca Tubongbanua with some of her products on display at a food bazaar.

Businessmen, companies, and corporations may have folded up businesses as of this time of adversity brought about by the Covid pandemic.

At the moment people are hard up to secure or sustain food or basic needs of the family, and on the other hand, entrepreneurs are fighting hard to continue their business and production.

Marketing stops and empty shelves in grocery stores and supermarkets remain to signify adversity and hunger.

In the little Brgy. of San Isidro, Buenavista, Guimaras, Centralian entrepreneur Rebecca C. Tubongbanua stood with her faith. She never closed shop, she didn’t stop the production at her modest Mc Nester juice plant-which was built by her prayers and resilient attitude (with a very little capital at that time).

A B. S. Chemistry graduate of Central Philippine University, BATCH ’82.Tubonbanua proved to herself and her community that “Resiliency comes to anyone who has faith in God, commitment with oneself and generosity to each one in need”, she said.

“Since the start of the epidemic in our country, I already decided not to stop. I rely on God who made my business become what it is today”, Tubongbanua said.

She added that”I let my mind find a positive idea to inspire me- to do more, not only to sustain my production, and my workers as well”, she added.

Tubongbanua focused on the idea that Mc Nester calamansi juice is rich in Vitamin C, thus it will help a lot of the workers and frontliners now working non-stop in Guimaras province.

She also said that ” I pray for strength, so that we may be able to supply and sustain this need in hospitals and homes.

She herself has donated volumes of packs of the calamansi juice to the communities and hospitals in Buenavista and Guimaras province”, she said.

Tubongbanua also produced DIY masks which she also gave away to hospitals.

“A few days after the government and inter-agency task forces implemented quarantines, I cried over the turn out of orders for the calamansi juice – from medical workers, residents, hospitals and agencies. They’re ordering calamansi products in bulks. We utilized the only delivery service we have to distribute free juice packs to the frontliners, who are working for health and security,” she added.

Mc Nester has been one of the bestsellers at the CPU annual Agrifair Festival.