Three's the charm in Cebu

Not everyone gets handed things on a silver platter. Many people have taken themselves to the top with nothing more than a desire to succeed and make something of themselves and their lives.

Two Cebuanos, though very different in their chosen fields, have shown that one must have the strength of mind to succeed and choose not to give up because life is full of possibilities and opportunities.

 In 1981, Rodrigo and Julia Gandionco managed a canteen and to augment the bread requirements, opened a small bakeshop, which they called Julie’s. They offered freshly baked products using only the finest ingredients. Within three years they already had 10 branches in Cebu.

In 1988 Julie’s Bakeshop opened its first branch in Iloilo and this paved the way for the company’s growing success in franchising. The first franchise bakeshop opened in Manbajao, Camiguin, in 1988 and in July of that year, Julie’s Franchise Corporation was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In June 1999, Julie’s was named the “Success Story of the Year” and in October as “Outstanding Countryside Investor” by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. In 2000, Julie’s also bagged the Outstanding Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneur Award from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce.  

Today, Julie’s Bakeshop is the largest bakery chain in the Philippines with over 500 branches.

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Every woman aspires to look beautiful, either for herself, her friends or her man. The first step is to highlight one’s natural beauty, which can be achieved by applying the right makeup that highlights our best features.  It can conceal or disguise any imperfection that a person might have and in the process help project a more appealing appearance.

 Finding a good and talented makeup artist   who is equally skilled in hair management and other beauty needs is often difficult.

 Luckily for us Cebuanos, we have Jessie Glova, who is passionate about facial beauty and care. To cater to his growing clientele, Jessie recently opened a salon and studio at Pacific Square, in F. Cabahug, Mabolo, that offers a wide range of beauty services such personalized makeup lessons, nail art, eyelash extensions, threading, cosmetic tattoo, hair color and rebonding, apart from a full body spa.

Jessie was recently named the Most Outstanding Makeup Artist in the Philippines by Top Brands Awards Philippines. He was also named the Junior Entrepreneur of the Year by the University of San Jose Recoletos junior business executives held at Parklane Hotel.

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Lineage, Life & Labors of Rizal, Philippine Patriot by professor Austin Craig essays the biography of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal, with emphasis on his Chinese lineage. This lineage is traced to Rizal’s Sin Cua Chua ancestry in Siongque Village, Jinjiang City, Fujian Province.

Domingo Lamco or Cua Yi Lam was an ancestor of the “entrepreneurial Mercado clan of Laguna Province and the great-great-grandfather of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal.” Lamco belonged to the 19th generation of the Cua line in Siongque. To escape the prejudices and extra taxes levied on the Chinese in his time, Lamco changed his surname to Mercado, a Hispanic name yet one that reflects the family of merchants.

Manuel Chua, a Philippine descendant of Rizal’s Chinese clan (Jaime Cardinal Sin is another descendant), initiated the realization of the biggest Rizal Park outside of the Philippines in Siongque Village. The five-hectare park has a Rizal monument that is almost seven meters taller than the one in Luneta, which was inaugurated in 2003. Chinese government dignitaries and locals welcomed the Philippine delegation led by Chua, some relatives of Dr. Rizal, along with a number of Filipino civic and political luminaries.