#thirdblog

Halfway Through

Preparation for the BMC Proposal had been a very challenging experience, not only because as a student nurse, I do not find it in line with any area of my field of expertise, but also because I was not able to allocate enough time to work on it to ensure good results. However, in the small amount of time that my groupmates and I crammed this activity into our jampacked schedule, we were able to at least apply the major corrections that our panelists pointed out: to carry out a more comprehensive validation method for our venture, and to emphasize how we are different from our competitors, particularly one other group from our section that has the exact same concept as ours.

Because of these recommendations, we were able to come up with questions that ultimately led us to the clarity of the once-murky waters of our proposal that we were traversing on which were asked through physical interviews and Google Forms survey. Among these is the major question: Would you approve of a food truck that provides ready-made meals? Considering a lot of responses were collated, we determined the three most prominent locations that would not make it a hassle for majority of our customers to approach us because going for more than three locations would make it difficult for them to determine where we are parking to obtain the food they crave for.

From this, we were able to determine from which colleges the most of our would-be customers would come from to strategize where in the campus we would park our truck during its service hours: (1) in the vacant lawn a few meters shy of the College of Nursing, (2) in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and (3) in the intersection near the College of Agriculture.

Additionally, we also drafted a detailed expense list so to determine the actual pricing we will be imposing on our products to visualize whether we would be profiting from our proposed business. From these, I have learned how to adjust the prices in a way that would make it attractively cheap for the customers but adequately profitable on my end with 30% markup. The prices for the three different combos are: P49, P59, P79; all with different combo compositions our customers could choose from – an emphasis on our difference from our direct competitors: being able to choose the different components of the meal just like a shawarma store.

The road to coming up with an entrepreneurial venture is not an easy road to take. It needs a series of customer validation, hypothesis definition, and testing to be able to come up with a final decision in doing what’s best for the team and what’s in trend for the customers. Truly, there is a big sacrifice up ahead for the team as we continue to embark the journey of being an entrepreneur. A whole new world awaits, maybe filled with ups and downs, but undoubtedly, it will teach us great lessons along the way.

These made me go back to my own team and how we got our idea on “Dahon-Dahon Lang”. To give a bit of a background of what our start-up is all about. “Dahon-Dahon Lang” is a product-centered business catering to students and staff of the CMU-College of Nursing, University Hospital, and other nearby colleges within the area. It offers a variety of budget-friendly food wrapped in banana leaves for those who are time-restricted and preoccupied most of the time. The idea itself of building up this business took a long way before its actual commencement but undeniably, it was the path that each of the team members of the team was willing to take.

 Initially, before we come up with the idea, we asked some of the problems that each of the students experience within the university, mainly the nursing students of the CMU-CON. They mentioned a bunch of problems relating to the maintenance of their white uniforms and shoes, transportation means, unprecedented hot weather, etc. but most of them really highlighted the lack of food sources within the area since as per our own experience, the closest food source during lunch time within the CMU-CON is the university market which is about more than a kilometre away from where the nursing students are.

Even though we extracted already some relevant data in choosing our proposed venture, we did some extra validation via surveys and interviews to really ensure that we could properly piggyback our business idea and really provide what is needed for the nursing students of the university. Here, we asked different nursing students to answer a series of questions which are both open-ended and close-ended. An example of a close-ended question which we’ve asked is that “Do you think food is a major problem experienced by students and staff within the CMU-CON and University Hospital?”. A range of 1 to 4 is given for them to choose where 1 denotes Strongly Agree, 2 denotes Agree, 3 denotes Disagree, and 4 denotes Strongly Disagree. For this question alone, an average of 3.9 was tallied. While on the other hand, an example of an open-ended question our team asked was “How do you think we can solve the problem of food within the CMU-CON and University Hospital?”. These are just some of the areas of interest our team asked to extract specific and significant data in choosing and deciding for our team’s business.  

After boiling it down to one problem, then the team had thought of different possible solutions for the chosen problem. This is when the hypothesis definition has started. Solutions that were suggested include providing a food-transportation server, food-generating source, food-delivery service, etc. where each was reconsidered in reference to the budget of the team, the feasibility of the project, and the income that could be generated for each one. With this, an interview again was conducted to the possible customers of the business, where most of them had answered food-generating source with reasons of “I don’t want to pay for delivery fees”, “food providers would give immediate food rather than waiting for minutes for delivery services to arrive”, and “I could get a clearer picture of the food to choose rather than just viewing photos of it online”.

After obtaining all the answers, Most, if not all, of the students suggested that a food-producing business be around close or even within aforementioned area. With all of these, the team decided to hear and follow the pleads of the feasible customers which is to be an entrepreneurial venture catered to providing budget-friendly food to the people within the area of the CMU-CON and University Hospital. With these, the team listed down all the options possibly needed to make the idea plausible for the customers, which includes the food that would be available, the means the food would be accessed and available to the customers, the area where the food will be stored for student’s easier access, and how the the food would be advertised to ensure its attraction to the students and staff within the area.

  Moreover, the options were then narrowed down before the actual proposal of the business. Foods made available are decided by the preferences of the customers via online surveys and local drop boxes to ensure high demand and strong customer relationship. Food would be stored in a nearby boarding house of our team member, where food is steamed to provide high-quality, heated food for the customers delight to eat. Food can be bought or requested via online means, phone call, and/or direct physical contact with the team members.  Lastly, food would be advertised online via social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and physically through posters and flyers. With that being said, the whole business plan was achieved and thus is ready for proposal.

Consequently, after being able to formulate the general needs of the entrepreneurial venture, I have reflected all of the lessons acquired along the journey and also with the lecture series that I attended last November 23, 2022. It made me realize the role that entrepreneurs play in the society which is not only to generate income but also to provide alternative and direct solutions for the problems experienced by the members of a specific community. Also, it reminded me that in creating a business, it isn’t always rainbows and butterflies but also has some dark times with it; only an entrepreneur with high dedication, perseverance, and drive is subjected to success in the entrepreneurial world. Lastly, with the words spoken by Engr. Bronson Mabulay and Mr. Arnel Arreglado, I have learned that anyone can be an entrepreneur. As long as you are driven and passionate enough to pursue your craft, in no time, you are able to be a successful entrepreneur in the future.

* I felt the warmth of welcoming of COED family since I am late enrollee they assist and guide me in order to catch up the missed events and learnings.

*  The COED family assures that there is no student being left out, I am grateful indeed to be part of it.

* I love the events and programs that they were performing, there is no dead air and I didn’t feel any boredomness. They explain the concept of the program concisely and vivid.

* The members of this family are always open for anyone. Their arms are always widely open to give guidance and efforts to those having hardships.

* I hope that this family remains stronger and united not just in the beginning but  also until the end of our college phase.

*At first, my nervous side is still there the social anxiety is till bothering me. To the point that I am afraid to interact because there’s a gut that they don’t like me or even mi interpret me. But then, as the time goes by they changed how I viewed my life in this phase is.

My first week of being part in the COED family:

blessed

great

new teachers and classmates

&&. Understanding the Relevance of Information and News Literacy in the Midst of Social Era 

It was an ordinary afternoon; nothing seems suspectable of San Bernardo Street. The daylight had come to its end, hiding behind the golden dusk and painted-like coffee strokes of skies. As frequent as it was, children were still running on their sweats, cooling down after wasting their energy for a late slipper game. Suddenly, the voices of middle-aged women resonate in the nearby town hall, probably at Aling Marites' Sari-sari Store. Passing by, it was no mistake by telling them they were both in nerve and was frighten for whatever the reason was. Again, it was a typical afternoon chismisan among the aunties. Aling Marites, the Chismosa ng Bayan, raised her voice on top of her lungs, "Don't you still know, mga mars? They are trying to trick us! They were putting metals on those vaccines! I swear!" Not a split of a second, all of them were insanely terrified, globules of sweat forming on their forehead, and their toes were shaking intensely. But a young lady abrupted the conversation with a calm yet confident tone, "I don't think it's even true. No news had verified this rumor though." However, there were no changes in the atmosphere; there were still unmoved like a century-passed stone. With a single drop of false information, a storm of fear had submerged. Misinformation damages not just the truth, but it includes our being, feelings, and the way we respond to something unknown. The Social era, a modern time of illiterate and media dishonesty. In this new gate of modernism, how far can illiteracy cost human lives? Where does our ignorance lead to somewhere? A dark path we stumbled; the light of news literacy was found nowhere. People of San Bernardo, what things can you do in these horrifying times of the social era?

           Communication in the contemporary age is accessible across the globe. Consequently, information and data reports are often altered for personal gain and intentions. In our recent blog, news nowadays turns into a textile where a dressmaker can effortlessly fabricate anything to make it appealing or horrifying to the public. In the worse scenario, this malicious information can generate fear among individuals. Unverified data are more likely the sources of rumors and folktales circulating on media platforms today. New media could have been our weapon to create better judgment; however, the Social Era has corrupted its essence by utilizing it as a tool for taking advantage and fostering negativity in humanity. However, ignorance shall never be in a high tolerance. We begin to cure our foolishness by educating ourselves about the relevance of media and news literacy in this era. We need to learn how to discern facts versus opinion. Journalists such as writers and reporters are often biased on their scoops and stories. Therefore, we should encourage ourselves to learn the standards of journalism and the processes of producing credible news. In addition, this follows the process of searching and verifying for a reliable source. In the Social Era, we do not know people who are trustworthy or what things can be trusted. Therefore, we should critically evaluate the credibility of a media to produce news. Furthermore, internet users in the Social Era can even start their digital web-page for sharing news and information; but only a fewer amount of these users can display proof and flesh in their claim.  As an audience, it is also essential to enhance our interpretation and analysis of data. There is a need for us to assess, evaluate, and recognize the context of news to formulate our insights and stand. Moreover, we are entitled to our opinion towards an issue; however, insights are not equal to fact. We hold a right to create a claim, but it is not our power to deceive someone with that judgment. And most importantly, everyone should participate as a citizen of democracy that forsakes misleading information and rebukes anything that can cause conflict to one another. The Social Era might be a wild jungle for communication and media today, but literacy will serve as map to guide us into enlightenment. The relevance of literacy is never meant to fade and it is always beside us. Hence, n this world full lies, do not be such an Aling Marites, but be like Maria. Be inquisitive, be brave, fear not, stay bright and curious. For ignorance leads to nowhere, but knowledge will always take us away from San Bernardo Street and to everything beyond the limit.

The story "Oh Fish, Flies, Dogs and Women" by Timothy R. Montes was simple, but it will catch your interest and attention. It may bore you at first, but I'm sure that you'll keep going. This story reminds me of some vendors on a wet market that always talks with each other when there are no customers. In the Philippines, we call it "Chismisan." The author uses figurative language to evoke a sensory experience in the reader’s mind, and the words used were easy to understand. Some do not have to be limited to a single meaning that makes you keep reading the story and the best part of this is the lesson it intends to give the audience. The story started with a woman communicating with Mana Biben about her journey from a fish vendor to the biggest fish dealer in their town. [Flies, flies, flies.] "So, Mana Biben, you want to know how I turned my life around? You think I became the biggest fish dealer in this town by crying on my sleeves? Look at me— you think it's all that easy? Here you see me spending my day watching over the fish, raking in money just by swatting away flies while my good-for-nothing husband drowns himself in tuba. You think that is fair? Should I blame the cruel world and jump off a cliff? Ah, Mana Biben, life's unfair, indeed. It's a useless piece of stone you can't get rid of. One day you will have to pick up that stone and decide what to do with it: smash it against your head or throw it at the crazy world. Before you know it, you will have made a choice that will change your life. The important thing is that you did something to that stone." In this part, she just told us that her husband is nothing but useless, and she has no choice but to sell fish for her family. She must do something to survive because if she doesn’t, then no one else would. "I must admit that I led a miserable life before this thing happened. Misery, however, has a way of blinding our eyes in a beautiful way. You know, you can see rainbows through your tears. Small consolation, I say, but when you are a woman fighting for survival you can't afford to indulge in self-pity." These lines softened my heart, and it breaks me while reading them. This woman is indeed a fighter, and I feel so proud of her. At the same time, I pity her. Imagine her need to be strong to fight for survival to the point that she didn’t have any time left to check if she’s still okay because she needs to focus significantly on her family’s survival.

As she continues telling Mana Biden her life in 5 years, you'll realize why the story's title includes flies. The flies symbolize the "chismosa" in their town and everything that brings toxicity to others. One morning, when she's selling her fish. She passed by to a rusty gate that was owned by Attorney Sabate. After a brief hesitation, she dared herself to enter despite knowing big dogs were guarding the house. She had a basketful of fish on her head, and when those black dogs appeared, she stiffened in in her fear that these dogs might eat her fish. "No, the fish was my life. A dirt-poor wife who had to feed five small children would understand the real value of a basketful of fish. Facing those dogs, I told myself I would rather die of rabies than of hunger." If you reread these lines, these dogs are not just dogs. The dogs symbolize her fears, struggles, problem, and gossips. A fish is not only a fish. It's her life that she has already devoted to giving to her family. And at this point, all she thinks about is the safety of the fish in her basket.