When four pesos changed everything

By: Edrian Banania

Bukidnon- Known as the “Food Basket of Mindanao,” Bukidnon supplies bananas, pineapples, sugarcane, and other crops to markets across the country. Yet for many farmers, earning a decent living remains a challenge. One of them is Ronald J. Okit, a father of three and agripreneur from Valencia City, Bukidnon.

After months of tending his banana farm, Ronald brought his harvest to market, hoping for a fair return. But he was offered a price that left him frustrated and disappointed. “When my products were bought at a price that did not even compensate for months of hard work, I decided to stop. The price was simply too low and unacceptable,” he recalled.

Rather than continue selling raw bananas, Ronald searched for a better way to earn from his harvest. He started making banana chips, an idea that eventually grew into Manong Toto Chips, a small family business producing flavored pasalubong chips from locally grown crops.

From the office back to the farm

Ronald grew up in a family where farming was already part of daily life. His mother worked in banana
plantations, while his father spent years in sugarcane fields.

After finishing high school, he entered a seminary. Through a parish scholarship, he later studied Sociology at Ateneo de Cagayan.

After graduation, he worked as a researcher before moving into banking. During this period, he met his wife, who was then completing her on-the-job training.

In 2012, he returned to Bukidnon and started farming coffee and bananas while building his own family. For years, he worked the land, but income remained uncertain and depended on market prices.

The low buying price of bananas eventually pushed him to try something else. In 2017, he started making banana chips at home, which became the beginning of Manong Toto Chips.

He learned the process through trial and error and hands-on help from his family.

A business at home

Today, Manong Toto Chips remains a DTI-registered family-run business.

Production is done at their home, where each family member takes on specific tasks. One handles frying, while others help with weighing, packing, and sealing the products.

From banana chips, they expanded into sweet potato and taro varieties, with flavors including sour cream, cheese, plain, and sweetened. The products are sold at PHP90 per 200-gram pack. They are distributed to local markets and select pasalubong centers, including the Philippine Carabao Center at Central Mindanao University (PCC at CMU) product outlet in Maramag, Bukidnon.

During peak months, the business earns around PHP60,000 in net income. It helps cover household
expenses, children’s schooling, business costs, and the ongoing construction of their home.

Overcoming challenges

Like many small entrepreneurs, Ronald has faced challenges along the way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions disrupted deliveries and operations. Some products remained unsold and eventually expired, resulting in losses.

To keep the business going, he sold the family’s SUV, which he also used for product deliveries.

Supply remains a challenge. When local harvests are low, he buys raw materials from traders outside
Bukidnon at higher prices.

At one point, a large tree fell, damaging the roof of their outdoor production area. He repaired it and
continued operations. Despite all the hurdles, Ronald and his family never wavered, and together they overcame them with grit and determination to build a successful life.

Support that fueled growth

As the business grew and required additional capital, his cousin introduced him to CARD, Inc. (A
Microfinance NGO). He obtained an initial loan of PHP 30,000 to support the enterprise. After successfully repaying it, he later increased it to PHP 100,000, which helped address business needs, including repairs to the damaged facility.

With the business’ success, Ronald continues to run Manong Toto Chips while managing the daily demands of production and family life. He now hopes to acquire a new delivery vehicle to improve distribution and reduce transport costs.

“For us, business is always a challenge,” he said. “What matters is that you don’t stop. There are ups and
downs, but you learn how to face them.”

He started with bananas that once sold for four pesos per kilogram. Today, he runs a small enterprise built on the same crop, now processed into chips and other products sold in local markets and pasalubong centers.

Reflecting on Ronald’s story serves as a reminder that the value of a harvest is measured not solely by its market price but also by the resilience of the people behind it.

For those who want to try Manong Toto Chips, you may contact Ronald J. Okit at 0936-227-4630, or visit his stall inside the PCC and CMU product outlet along Sayre Highway, Maramag, Bukidnon.