FEATURE: Marigold Alvares, a baker with passion to share

by Shaine Mae R. Nagtalon

PIA Misamis Occidental features Golden Munch Cake and Pastries in a recent episode of Let's Talk MisOcc.(Golden Munch)

"You need to have passion for what you are doing because when you have passion within you, everything will fall into place."

Marigold Alvarez, a Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) graduate of Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program of the Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Occidental (DTI-MisOcc) shared how her passion has turned into business at a young age of 23.

“You just have to be determined, and you really need to have a passion for what you are doing,” said Marigold Alvares during the Let's Talk MisOcc, online forum hosted by Philippine Information Agency Misamis Occidental via Zoom.

She started Golden Munch Cakes and Pastries while being a student. “Na less nalang akong ka kulba nga mo choose ko ani nga path after I graduate college kay naanad nako and na program na sa ako mind nga dapat by hook or by crook, Golden Munch will rise to the top," she said.

(I was not too nervous to choose this path after I graduate college because I am used to it and I already have programmed in my mind that by hook or by crook, Golden Munch will rise to the top)

Alvares talked about how she started her own business. ”We started in 2020 and were mostly run by the students at the time. Then, karon naka open mi og [now we have opened] first and soon to be many physical stores atong [last] February 2023."

Marigold Alvarez, a Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) graduate of Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program of the Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Occidental (DTI-MisOcc) shared how her passion has turned into business at a young age of 23.

Why cake and pastries?

So cakes and pastries kay before when I was a kid mamaligya najud mi daan [we were selling back then], when I was still in grade 2, I would sell munchkin donut dayon among parents gina tudloan gyud mi [then our parents would teach us] how to handle our finances well.”

Alvarez had envisioned opening a cake and pastry shop when she started college.

“Cake and pastries because I am challenged in this field being not a creative person. To know how to bake cake and pastry, it requires creativity, especially in designing cakes and other pastries. Ma challenged gyud kaayo ko kay dili ko maayo ani [I am really challenged by this because this is not my specialty], gusto ko ma challenged ani og curious pod ko about sa food [i want to be challenged and i am also curious about food] and then gusto pod ko mag [I also want to] offer heart warming dishes like i find joy in creating heart warming dishes," she said.

Alvares also shared how she became an entrepreneur.

“Ang akong family gyud kay sila gyud ang nag push sa akoa nga to do better nga kanang for me I am a fresh graduate so mangita man gyud ka ug job but for me nisulong ko sa business and that's very risky sa akong part knowing nga daghan na kaayo ug graduates and with the help of my partner na ginasuportahan sad ko so nindot kaayo kay naa gyud kay family to support you sa imong mga decisions,” she said.

(My Family is the one who pushed me to do better. For, I am a fresh graduate, so you should definitely look for a job, but for me, I entered the business and that's very risky on my part, knowing that there are many already in the business. I'm a graduate and with the help of my partner who supports me so it's nice because you have a family to support you in your decisions)

Alvarez also shared her experiences in joining the Kapatid Mentor Me Program of DTI.

“Ni join kog KMME because I'm really new to the field og feel nako daghan pa gyud ko ug ma-learn and I am so thankful nga daghan program ang DTI kay there are a lot of sessions nga gina conduct in running a business like finances, legal aspects, marketing and supply chain management and dako gyud kaayo siya og impact sa business,” Alvarez added.

(I joined KMME because I'm new to the field and I feel that I still have a lot to learn. I am so thankful that DTI has a lot of programs because there are a lot of sessions that are conducted in running a business like finances, legal aspects, marketing, and supply chain management and it has a big impact on the business)

Alvarez also encouraged young people to start their own business.

“Gi-encourage gyud nako ang young people to start a business kay in business diha gyud nimo makab-ot ang financial freedom at a young age kay there's nothing wrong working an 8-5 job kay kung mag business man gud hawak nimo imong time dayon mas ma challenge ka to do better and eventually makab-ot nimo imong financial freedom,” she said.

(I encourage young people to start a business because in business you can achieve financial freedom at a young age there's nothing wrong with working an 8-5 job because if you do business you hold your time, and its will challenge you to do better and eventually you will achieve your financial freedom) (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Misamis Occidental holds the "Let's Talk MisOcc" online talk show with Kapatid Mentor Me program graduate of the Department of Trade and Industry DTI-Misamis Occidental, Ms. Marigold Alvarez of Golden Munch Cakes and Pastries, June 27. (PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)