GREAT SUCCESS STORY

NOTHING beats a man who has overcome almost all obstacles in life there are to hurdle. Dante C. Baltazar is one such man forged on the anvil of hardships.

Though not exactly from a poor family, yet Dante wasn’t a man born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. Baltazar as a young businessman borrowed a personal loan of P3,000 from a local bank and after only three years, converted this capital into a P36-million business empire. After 13 years, would post some P20-million monthly gross sales? But this is getting ahead of the story.

Baltazar’s father was a World War II veteran, a USAFFE (US Armed Forces in the Far East) intelligence officer who was based in Cavite. His mother was a homemaker. But though Dante’s father was a US military officer, his roots from Cavite were mostly into business.

After he married the former Teresita Barbasa, he began learning the actual ropes of the trade—by selling seafood and fruits to his neighbors in Quezon City.

That same year, custom-made tailoring was ebbing, and with it, the era of Ready-to-Wear (RTW) began. Baltazar went into the RTW business by buying goods from Divisoria and selling them to anyone he can convince.

Dante has this unique business pulse, so unerring he could see gold where other could only see brass. “I saw a great potential in the RTW business,” he said. “Thus, I thought of making a personal loan of P3,000 from a local bank. Then, I bought raw materials from Divisoria and delivered these to my sewer-contractor who had his own tailoring shop. Then he had these sent to various Greenhills stores for them to sell through consignment.

Not contented with subcontracting, Baltazar decided to put up his own garments factory in May 1980. As such, he bought six small sewing machines, “which I bought from a garments factory like they were almost junk. I repaired these myself, and named my business City Suits Garments.”

He continues to tell his story: “With my own 20 sewers, my production output grew from 2,000 pieces a month to 15,000 pieces, with a value of around P600,000. My Metro Manila market expanded unbelievably wide—from Greenhills to Baclaran, Manuela-Las Piñas, Divisoria, Quinta Market, Ongpin and Cartimar in Pasay City.”

In 1981, he has practically phased-out all his small non heavy-duty machines, and replaced them with high-speed and special machines. Today, he employs 50 high-speed sewers capable of producing 40,000 pieces of shirts a month, valued at P3 million monthly.

Posted by Joel Escoton at 7:50 PM 10 comments    

The lyrics and melodies of Lito Camo

By Perry Gil S. Mallari and Photos by Ruy Martinez

Lito Camo’s colorful life could very well be a perfect inspiration for a heart-tugging ballad. But the famous composer prefers to inject lightness and laughter to his songs.

His climb to success can either be a point of envy or an inspiration for many, depending on how they perceive his rags-to-riches story. Armed only with a guitar and a brilliant mind, Camo went through hell before he reached heaven’s glory. I was fortunate to be welcomed to his sanctuary, tucked in a quiet Quezon City village, but filled with such warmth and positive energy.

Luxury cars cramped his garage so he decided to buy the adjacent lot. In one of the cozy rooms, his children are taking turns singing their hearts out on a videoke mic hooked to a huge plasma TV.

Camo, who is the country’s reigning king of novelty songs, is responsible for such hits as “Boom Tarat,” “Spageti” and “Otso-Otso” is basking in opulence. But Camo is no overnight success. His climb to the top is a wonderful story of hope and hard work, timing and tenacity.

A hard life

Camo was born and raised in the town of Bungabon in Oriental Mindoro. His grandparents were relatively well off and were engaged in furniture business. When his grandparents died, their properties were sold and the money was divided among their children. Camo’s parents got their share but unfortunately, they failed to make the money grow. “Ang mga magulang ko hindi sinuwerte [My parents ran out of luck],” Camo recalls, staring at a seemingly blank space. “Kaya mula noon puro hirap na ang pinagdaanan namin [That’s why since then, we experienced the hard life].”

Despite tremendous hardships, Camo commended his parents for their diligence and unwavering spirit in supporting their family. “Ang nanay ko noon gumagawa ng mga bag at alpombra ng kabaong, samantalang ang tatay ko naman sapatero [My mother used to make bags and casket cushions while my father is a cobbler].

The eldest of four children, Camo discovered early that he had the gift of music, something he exploited to the hilt by joining singing contests left and right. Camo often won prize money from these competitions, which he gave in full to the family. After high school, Camo’s parents couldn’t afford to send him to college so he packed his bags and came to Manila to try his luck.

Right timing

In Manila, Camo initially lived with relatives who admonished him to study vocational courses at night and to work during the day. He heeded their advice and took up a vocational course to be a diesel mechanic. “Ang layo nga sa propesyon ko ngayon [The course is remotely connected to my present career],” he remarks.

Wanting to be independent, Camo tried doing odd jobs. He first found employment as a houseboy and later on as a family driver. He had a friend who worked as a family driver. When this friend was about to get married, he asked Camo if he could take his place while he is on honeymoon. That friend never came back and Camo became the official family driver for his boss who owned a placement agency that sent performers abroad.

It was through his boss’s network of friends that he met a certain Eddie Boy who happened to be a sessionist musician for Boom Dayupay who was then actively involved with the R&B band Kulay. Eddie Boy heard Camo sing and asked what is the title of the piece. When he learned that it’s Camo’s original composition, Eddie Boy was impressed and offered to introduce him to Dayupay, who was looking for fresh talents at that time. Camo had serious doubts about himself then and almost hesitated. “Mahina pa ang paniniwala ko noon sa sarili ko kasi iniisip ko taga-probinsya lang ako [I have little faith in myself then because I thought that I was merely a provincial lad].”

The right connections

Camo remembers the thrill he felt when he met Dayupay and the other members of Kulay. It was also the first time for him to set foot in a recording studio. Dayupay liked Camo’s repertoire and promised that he would help him get a break in the music industry. Just three days after his demo, Dayupay called informing that a number of recording studios were interested in his songs.

Camo’s first single “Kung Ikaw ay Nalulumbay” was released by BMG Filipinas (now Sony-BMG) in 1997. “Doon nagsimula si Lito Camo— sa kantang ’yun [What I am today started with that song],” he shares, emphasizing that the piece was instrumental in catapulting him to popularity. The majority of the materials in that first album came from the 70-plus songs he has filed in his small library of original compositions since high school. Though he began singing as young boy, it was only during his teens that Camo began composing songs through impromptu jam sessions with his buddies.

Camo’s initial success was greeted by an overwhelming unbelief. When Camo told his mother that he had already signed a recording contract, she flatly replied, “Totoy, tigilan mo na ’yan at baka dyan ka lang mapahamak [Son, get out of that game before it brings you nowhere].” Even when sent his buddies copies of his CD, they still refused to believe that he already was a recording artist. The only time they were convinced was when they saw him appear on TV. There were a number of ups and downs in Camo’s career since that big break but through perseverance and hard work, he has always managed to bounce back. Camo also admitted that he fared off better in the industry as a composer than as a singer.

Influences and inspirations

Among local songwriters and musicians, Camo expressed high regards for former Eraserhead frontman Ely Buendia. “Hinangaan ko ’yung pagleletra niya at ’yung mga melodies n’ya [ I really admire the way he create lyrics and melodies],” he explains. The Beatles and the legendary rock ’n’ roll icon Juan de la Cruz band also top Camo’s list of ear candies. “Pero mahilig din ako sa mga lumang kanta [But I also like old songs],” he adds with a tone of nostalgia.

Except for a little privacy, Camo needs no special place or gadget to compose a song. He will always prefer solitude given a choice but now that he is already a family man, he could prod himself to churn out a song even while the kids are playing around him or while he is driving. There are times when Camo can finish composing a song in less than 30 minutes though he admits that there were pieces that dragged up to a month to finish.

One thing he can’t stand though is rude interruptions that break his train of thoughts. If situations permit, he likes to work in the attic of his home where there’s absolute peace and quiet. I was witnessed to the numerous awards that lined the walls in this attic that prove that Camo has gone a long way from that Mindoro nobody to who he is now.

The ‘Boom Tarat’ controversy

Camo has become the subject of intrigues lately for allegedly selling the rights of his popular composition “Boom Tarat” to senatorial candidate Miguel Zubiri for a hefty P3 million. The singer-composer has repeatedly denied the allegation adding that those proliferating this rumor know very little of the depth of his relationship to the man running for a senate seat.

The composer discloses that he owes the young politician a lot since it was through Zubiri’s help that he bagged the lucrative commission of composing the political jingle of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a number of prominent politicians in the elections of 2004. Camo also adds that he will never forget Zubiri’s generosity when the then-Bukidnon congressman shouldered the expenses for his mother-in-law’s costly heart operation. He reluctantly admits though that a number of big-time politicians offered him huge sums for the right to transform “Boom Tarat” to be their campaign jingles but he opted to give it to Zubiri for free. “Sa totoo lang, ako pa ang nag-alok ng “Boom Tarat” kay Migz. [The truth is I am the one who offered the “Boom Tarat” song for Migz. Hindi naman lahat ng pagkakataon, pera lang ang mahalaga [In life, it’s not all about money],” he intones.

Drawing the line

High-brow artists and other purveyors of culture blame Camo’s songs and TV shows such as Wowowee for promoting parochial mentality among Filipinos. They alleged that the infamous Ultra stampede tragedy and little girls whose main wish in life is to become the next Sex Bomb dancer were a few effects of relentlessly feeding the masses’s consciousness with such asinine stuff. “Bakit hindi na lang nila ako pabayaan [Why don’t they just let me be,]” is Camo’s indignant reply to the denigration.

A line must be drawn, he says, between those who write novelty songs and those who compose serious pieces. As far as Camo is concerned, his sole mission is to entertain, period. The value of novelty songs should never be underestimated since “the humor found in these hit songs could have aborted a suicide attempt by some dispirited person somewhere, for all we know,” he rationalizes.

Though Camo believes that the success he’s enjoying now is an amalgam of many different elements, he stresses that perseverance and determination are paramount. These two things are what keep him going during down times. Each new height he has scaled, Camo makes it a point to stop, be thankful and look back where he came from. “Ayaw ko nang danasin ng mga anak ko ang pinagdaanan ko [I don’t want my children to experience the hardships I’ve been through],” he intones. “Sa industriyang ito ’wag kang tatamarin. Kapag tinamad ka, makakalimutan ka ng tao dahil maraming bagong dumarating [You can’t afford to be sluggish in this industry otherwise the people will forget you easily because there’s so many new talents around],” he warns.

After 10 years in the business, there’s no sign of stopping for Camo. At least for now. “Hanggang gusto ng tao ’yung mga ginagawa ko, dire-diretso akong lilikha ng awitin [As long as the public likes what I’m doing, I will continue writing songs],” he says with a quiet resolve.

With a huge dose of unforgettable lyrics and timeless melodies, it looks like Lito Camo is bound to be around for a long while, and more and more Filipinos will continue to take his songs by heart.

Posted by Joel Escoton at 8:27 PM 83 comments    

Former fish vendor now exports paper mâché products

By Niña Catherine Calleja

Merlyn fell into a deep depression and never went out of their house. It seemed, according to her, that her family lost everything.

She shut down their paper mâché business, which has given them livelihood for 21 years, because of loneliness.

But two years later, in 2002, Merlyn snapped out of her stupor and decided to revive the business and their life.

Her family has been producing “basic brown” paper mâché products, which were later on transformed into decorated paper boxes.

Brimming with confidence, and support from a new business and life partner, Merlyn called on the exporters she used to deal with before to let them know she was back in business.

And what a comeback she did. From near scratch when she restarted the business, she now serves purchase orders amounting to millions of pesos from four exporters yearly.

In December last year, she was one of the chosen finalists of the 2006 Citygroup Micro-entrepreneur Award.

Rags-to-riches story

The Francisco family’s tale is a common rags-to-riches story. Merlyn was a fish vendor in the market while her husband Eleseo was a fisherman and a part-time tricycle driver.

“It was very difficult. We had to make both ends meet with so little money,” she said in Filipino.

With seven children, Merlyn said their life became more difficult as the family grew bigger.

When the volume of fish caught from Laguna de Bay dropped due to overfishing and pollution, she decided to look for another work.

In Paete, Laguna, a nearby town that is known for sculpture and handicrafts, she landed a job at a small paper mâché enterprise.

She toiled as a worker there for four years, learning the paper mâché trade and knowing the buyers and exporters.

She resigned in 1986, returned to Pangil, and used whatever she had saved to set up her own paper mâché business.

From humble beginnings, the business grew slowly until 1990, when orders suddenly got bigger. That trend went on for about six years and enabled her, in fact, to employ members of around 30 families in her community.

Business was good she was also able to buy a van and a house and lot for the family.

But a big problem came her way when Eleseo fell ill and was diagnosed to have cancer. It was the most difficult time of her life and of the business.

Merlyn said soaring medical expenses eventually took a toll on their finances, forcing her to sell some of their properties including the van.

Worse, a buyer reneged on a P500,000 worth of orders, eventually leading her to bankruptcy. Eleseo died in 2000.

That’s when Merlyn shut down the business and fell into depression. “We had nothing. We could not borrow money from people since they knew we had no money and could not pay them back,” she recalled.

Until 2002 when she decided to rise up again. In the process of doing so, she met and fell in love with Ronnie Nolial, one of her workers. Ronnie is now her business partner.

A P5,000 loan the couple got in 2005 enabled them to expand the business. They now have 30 employees doing pattern-making, cutting, molding/folding, wrapping, drying, finishing touches and quality control.

They can also service a purchase order worth P400,000 in one month.

Ronnie said their edge against other paper mâché products is their products’ design and quality.

He creates the designs and samples they submit to exporters while Merlyn supervises the production.

“In this business you have to be creative. Usually, when we see beautiful products, we try to modify those and develop our own,” he said.

Even though their business is not really getting big profit, Merlyn and Ronnie still push through with it.

According to them, materials and labor costs account for about 60 percent of their total revenue.

For a product sold at P82, P50 is the cost of materials and labor and P32 will be their profit.

They also felt that their earnings dipped because of the rising cost of materials.

Ronnie shared that in 1993, a bundle of paper board cost them P160, but it has increased now to P1,080.

But still, they want to pursue the business because it is giving their neighborhood a livelihood.

“We don’t want them to be jobless. All of us are benefiting in this business,” Ronnie said.

In the future, they aim to increase their capital and expand the business.

Posted by Joel Escoton at 7:56 PM 0 comments    

by Jenny Fulbright

Posted by Joel Escoton at 12:41 AM 6 comments