News Release
Department of Labor and Employment
April 16, 2022
With DOLE’s support, vegetable vendor’s hard work pays off
A native of Bangan, Sanchez Mira in Cagayan province, John Carlo Eclipse, 27-years old, hails from a family of fisher folks.
At a young age, Carlo was already sharing in the responsibility of providing for his family. Despite his family’s financial difficulties, Carlo was determined to finish his college education. He had to take evening classes as he had to spend his daytime earning for his family through tricycle-driving, farming and selling vegetables.
Thanks to the Department of Labor and Employment’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), Carlo was able to set aside some of his earnings to buy vegetable seeds which initially got him into farming and vegetable vending.
After graduating from college with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, Carlo initially worked for the PESO in Sanchez Mira under the DOLE’s Government Internship Program (GIP). After the conclusion of his GIP contract, Carlo then qualified to be a recipient of DOLE’s Starter Kit Program, as he wanted to expand his farming and vegetable vending business. He was given the livelihood assistance in March of last year.
DOLE’s support has enabled Carlo to turn his stationary vegetable vending stall into a mobile stall that eventually led him to expand his vegetable production. With the support of his relatives, he was able to convert an idle land into vegetable farm.
Today, Carlo is known in his community as a young entrepreneur making a huge impact in agribusiness. His innovative agricultural techniques that include the use of hydroponics, has been generating a lot of interest not only within his community but also in neighboring areas.
To help young entrepreneurs like himself, Carlo has shared certain farming technologies in all 18 barangays in Sanchez Mira. Through his lettuce-in-a-cup undertaking, Carlo is able to produce fresh lettuce all year-round, meeting the demand not only of individual consumers in his community but also the demand of restaurants and hotels in adjacent areas. He has also employed at least 10 individuals who undertake soil preparation in his farm and marketing of the vegetable produce.
In addition to the skills he has acquired over years of hard work, Carlo’s perseverance, determination and positive outlook in life enabled him to overcome life’s challenges and emerge as an inspiration for other young entrepreneurs.
Eager to achieve more for his family and his community, Carlo now aspires of venturing 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 generate employment in his community.
“Ang tagumpay sa pagnenegosyo ay hindi nangangailangang ng isang henyo. Kailangan mong magpursigi at maging masigasig para sa katuparan ng iyong tagumpay,” he said. “As they say, success is not what you do continuously, but what you do consistently,” he added. ###
