GONEGOSYO

Ten Most Inspiring Tourism Entrepreneurs

EVANGELINE MARIÑAS-GARCIA
Gellie, as Mrs. Garcia is known to family, friends and clientele, is the eldest child of a
brood of twelve (!) of equally energetic and pioneering parents. She is the owner of
Callos Spa & Farm Resort, a tranquil oasis set in a mini rainforest located at Bo.
Colaique, Antipolo City. It is one of the pioneering spas in the country which has
acquired a reputation not only locally but even abroad. Gellie is an interior designer
by education and is married to architect Antonio P. Garcia. This couple combined
their creative talents to craft Callos Spa from an uninviting piece of real estate
located in a small ravine into a serene architectural and tropical garden getaway.
What follows is her story.

These days I find myself spending more time at Callospa & Farm Resort
personally attending to enquiries about our range of services from new visitors or with
our regulars as they patiently await their turn to be pampered by well-trained attendants
in this tropical paradise. Inevitably, some of them would remark how lucky I am to be
living this life of luxury and I would feel just a tinge of discomfort. Some people see me
as an offspring of a wealthy family and assume that I had it easy. I hold my peace,
however, thinking it would take more than just a short chat to tell them how it was not
always that way and that what they see now is the product of a lifetime spent in toil.

I am the eldest of twelve children of parents who rose from poverty through sheer
hard work. That may sound cliché but there are still a few now alive who remember my
parents starting life as a couple in a rented silong with bare earth for a floor. At a time
when land was in abundance and a piece can be bought for pennies, my parents had none.
But what they had was drive and endless determination which they passed on to us. As
the eldest, I grew up witnessing, experiencing and finally appreciating the value of
enterprise. As a young teenager I could not afford to wear stockings or lipstick as my
allowance was barely enough to get me to school and back. My Tatang was always
critical of anything having a whiff of luxury and I chaffed at these forced deprivations.
But I was a constant companion of my Inang in her Divisoria trips and from these I
gained my first lessons on how I can achieve my desires through enterprise. I took note of
how cheap the merchandise can be bought by the dozen and the big margin earned as
they were sold on retail. I saved some money and bought a dozen stockings and lipsticks
and positioned myself at the Ladies Room in the College of Architecture & Fine Arts in
UST where I was studying. I quickly sold my first batch and bought more, noting the hot
items that sold fast. Word of mouth soon had me hawking my wares to eager students of
the adjoining College of Arts & Letters. I was never in want of stockings and lipstick
after that.

In my 16th year I met my future husband, Tony, who was already apprenticed as
an architect in a multinational firm. He courted me in earnest and, as a show of his
determination, gave me P400.00 to start a joint savings account at the Banco Filipino.
This was a huge amount at that time when the average monthly salary of ordinary
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employees was a mere P200.00 but I was downhearted because I could not contribute
such an amount. Again I took lesson from my Inang’s enterprise and hit upon a way that
would enable me to match Tony’s contribution. I borrowed part of our savings and
bought pricier items such as blankets and curtains and sold these in my Ladies Room
“outlets” on installments. Soon I was able to return my borrowed capital and match
Tony’s contribution. He was surprised and very much impressed when I gifted him on his
birthday with a camera I bought for P33.00, not knowing that this was interest earned on
our savings account which would soon balloon to P7,000.00. Later he would borrow
against this to buy our very first car, a Volkswagen, but I cautioned him against spending
all of our savings so he bought a second-hand car instead for P6,000.00 leaving me with
P1,000.00 with which to continue my enterprise. Tony and I were partners even before
we were married and in him I found a soul mate who would show unending faith in my
abilities.

I graduated with a degree in Interior Design and immediately began work as an

office employee for my Tatang’s construction firm. At a salary of P240.00, which was
the same rate given to the ordinary construction worker, my classmates were actually
earning more working for other firms. I needed to earn more, especially since I and Tony
have begun constructing our own house and I was heavy with child. I simply applied the
same strategy I used in college – I sold apparel on installments. Inang again helped me by
introducing me to her suppliers in Divisoria who extended to me the same 120-day credit
terms they gave her. I collected every pay day which gave me an edge of a month or so to
pay my suppliers until I stumbled into another opportunity. Ka Pinang, the owner of the
canteen which catered to the workers one day complained that she was always late in
preparing the meals. This was because she had to wait for the money lender to come
around so she can make her daily payments. She asked if she could borrow from me
instead so she can pay at leisure at the end of the day. This provided a quicker return for
me but there was still one learning that would make a qualitative leap for me in the
rudiments of financing. I have also began selling small appliances on installments with
my apartment neighbors as first customers. I bought my items on 90-day terms from a
Radiowealth store ran by our neighbor, Mr. Tupaz. I wondered how he could extend
credit on such terms and one day he showed me how “factoring” was done where credit
can be extended for a year. It was like a whole new world of possibilities opened to me.
Still, I hesitated. I was already turning a good income in selling shirts and pants and small
items, albeit, involving more time and work. Then I met an accident that would make me
rethink my entire philosophy.

As usual I was running after my collection on a pay day even though I was very
much pregnant with my second child and I slipped as I stepped into wet pavement. I was
confined to bed by my doctor to prevent any miscarriage. It was while recuperating that I
thought of the risk I put myself and my child in to earn only increments. I resolved to
shed my small business mentality and become a full-time entrepreneur. I opened my very
first store, the Antipolo Thrift Shop & Bargain Store, and enthusiastically applied every
learning I have gained. I bought and sold second-hand and brand new appliances of every
make and model and gained a “first” as the only shop of its kind in Antipolo offering
these on installments of twelve months or even more. I came across a paper on the
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Grameen style of micro-financing and in no time I was competing with Indian lenders in
the public market thus also achieving a “first” for local lenders. I was also selling
furniture which I bought at 120-day terms until two major suppliers closed shop and
decided to sell their entire inventories to me at heavily discounted prices. This allowed
me to offer my furniture at even greater discounts to short-term buyers. I expanded my
shop to accommodate these bulky items and this gave me greater visibility AND
credibility, thus attracting more customers. Other retailers were buying from me much
like I was doing as a retailer a year or so ago.

The Antipolo Thrift Shop & Bargain Store has long since closed shop. Unlikely as
it seems, it was that business that set the course for me towards the tourism industry
albeit by another roundabout route.

Many of our high-priced items were sourced from migrating Filipinos and the still
young OCW work force many of whom I helped by advancing loans to pay their
placement fees. Those leaving and those arriving had another commonality and that was
one’s need and the other’s surplus of foreign currency so I started a modest forex
business that eventually prospered and continues to this day. Another was housing which
those leaving wanted to dispose and those arriving wanted to acquire. So I approached
my husband who at that time has already started his architectural and construction firm
and I said I wanted to be his client. We purchased on installment a house and lot from a
friend who was migrating to Australia. My husband renovated the house while I applied
my course in interior design and landscaping. I then offered this for sale also on
installment basis to an OCW. By that time we have built up a client base whose loyalty
we tapped in realizing complete house and lot packages fully furnished with stuff being
generated by my thrift shop. That first house was followed by another and yet another
until we had several units which tied up our working capital and seriously endangered our
liquidity.

As if fulfilling the old adage that new doors will open at times of need, I was
approached by a cement firm looking for furnished houses to rent for their foreign
consultants. Our houses proved to be more attractive alternatives to Makati hotels as we
offered personalized maid and driver services and soon these new customers endorsed us
to other expatriates. This arrangement gave us a faster ROI and so we switched to more
rental properties. Meanwhile, we acquired additional cars for my forex business and for
our growing children. Our expat customers also inquired about rental cars for inspection
tours to other plant sites and for out-of-town recreational trips. Of course we offered our
own vehicles which we already conveniently have. It so happened that I and my sister
have also ventured on a travel agency and this presented another convenience to my
growing foreign clientele as we arranged bookings for their out-of-town trips. I believe
we were the first of its kind to offer such a complete range of services in Antipolo or in
the entire province. Our clients were truly “ours” from the moment they stepped out of
the airport, got into our cars, unloaded their baggage into our houses, changed their
currency at our shop, booked their local travel at our agency, and until they are escorted
back to the airport, again in our cars. The local companies that hired them were as much
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appreciative as our other clients of the convenience of having to deal with only one
provider and one billing.

Meanwhile, we would hear from our clients stories of their travels that would go
blissfully well or awfully bad because of the facilities and services available. I can
appreciate their travails as I and Tony have also began to travel as a reward to ourselves
and to relieve the stress that comes with our growing businesses. Soon we would venture
to foreign destinations such as Bali in Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand
and extended European cruises and each time we would try the unique that these
countries have to offer. I will come back from these travels brimming with ideas eager to
apply what I have learned. These first hand experiences we would later put to use when
the idea of building a spa finally presented itself.

When we acquired what was to become Callospa & Farm Resort, it was nothing
more than an unattractive piece of swampy real estate remotely suitable for our build and
sell concept. The 2,000 square meter lot was mostly ravine and the road was rough
gravel. And yet we found the tranquility of the place ideal as a weekend getaway. I was at
that time working 24/7 and resorted to gardening as a stress reliever. I began collecting
ornamental plants during our travels and I guess I was stressed more than I realized
because I was propagating my plants more than could be accommodated in our small
backyard. I started replanting cuttings and seedlings to Callos and the site became a blank
canvas for me and Tony to apply our creative sides. I enjoyed the challenge posed by the
uneven terrain. As we spent more time in Callos, it was logical that we build a rest house
and to add farm animals. The farm animals provided manure for organic gardening and
we converted the lowest portion of the land into a lagoon for watering the plants and to
this we added tilapia and later ducks. Thus the concept of recycling and ecological
farming was an integral aspect of Callos from the very start. In short order we had a fully
integrated farm. As with earlier ventures I easily transitioned into transforming what
began as a minor hobby into a self-sustaining endeavor. I successfully cultivated
anthuriums and orchids that provided a modest return and also bred miniature French
chickens and giant Jersey chickens.

My husband was ever reliable in putting design concepts to reality transforming

what was swampland into a tropical architecture showcase. We added a swimming pool
for entertaining and friends and customers enjoyed visiting the place so much that queries
started coming if we were willing to rent the place for weekend gatherings. Responding
to this show of interest, we allowed small gatherings and in turn gathered experience in
managing a resort. Since Callos was still basically a weekend getaway for our family, we
added a small sauna to complement the experience and later I asked our caretaker’s wife,
________, if she would be interested in learning massage to earn additional income and
conveniently be available for us on the farm. She agreed and we enrolled her in a
reflexology course. She proved an adept learner and we enrolled her in course after
course learning all the other forms of massage from Swedish to Thai. She remains with us
to this day training and guiding new interns. And then it all came to a convergence.
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We decided to apply the learnings we have accumulated from our travels on what
we thought would be a memorable spa experience. I asked my husband to build a spa that
would combine both the modern amenities of an urban spa and a tropical house amidst
the tranquility of a rainforest. I also began hiring local people and enrolling them in
courses, oftentimes taking them to the expensive urban spas for them to experience for
themselves what it was like to be pampered. We then invited our foreigner tenants as a
sort of trial and their response was more than encouraging. Their word-of-mouth
endorsements created a new class of clientele as other expatriates and tourists, not our
usual tenants, visited to discover what this Bali retreat just a short travel east of Manila
was all about. Their continued visits validate the design concepts of our facilities and
services.

Looking back, Callos was indeed unique and trend setting. Having designed it to
what we thought would be suitable as a family retreat, it was a radical departure from the
seedy image of spa parlors which was then the main stumbling block to public
acceptability. At that time also, seven or so years ago, there were only about four or five
reputable spas in Manila and all of them were either mall-based or located in five-star
hotels. Callos was a separate class in itself, nestled amidst a mini rainforest away from
the bustle of the metropolis. The complete range of our services again came to the fore
and set us apart from the other spas. It was a pleasant surprise to our foreign clientele that
we also offered the convenience of credit card facilities, fully-furnished houses for
extended stays with maid and driver services, rental cars for airport-to-airport service and
a travel agency for even farther locales. On top of all these, Callos is affordable. Early on
we decided that our prices will be based on the local currency to offer to our own
kababayan a lifestyle retreat that could only normally be experienced by travel to foreign
countries. Today, we have an equal mix of local and foreign visitors. They provide the
impetus for our continued expansion. We added a badminton court and multi-purpose
hall which serves the needs for seminars and, because of our tropical setting, is also ideal
for garden weddings and receptions. Another barrier that we had to overcome was the
huge capital investment required. Spa development during its infancy stage was a costly
venture fraught with risks for the unseasoned entrepreneurs. I understood these but
comforted myself that, if nothing else, we would be providing a wholesome alternative
centered on service with profit only secondary. That it became profitable as well proved
another adage that quality is always a good investment.

Callospa is a founding member of the Spa Association of the Philippines whose

associates are helping forge a regulatory regime that would ensure our spas are world
class and thus globally competitive. We are also active in the local tourism council
composed of tourism-based establishments such as resorts and hotels. The interaction of
these establishments has been productive providing valuable best practices resulting in
continuously improving facilities and services.

Callospa’s unique attributes were deemed newsworthy enough for it to be

featured in more than twenty national and international magazines as well as numerous
television coverage giving us priceless but free advertising. The other ingredient of our
continuing success is the support and assistance of government. The Department of
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Tourism recognized early on that the spa industry can contribute significantly in
promoting the Philippines as an alternative destination and worked greatly in fostering an
environment conducive to growth. Callospa was featured as one of fifteen in the “Islands
of Wellness” publication of the DOT which was distributed in all Philippine consulates
worldwide thus further bolstering our reputation. Callospa continues to receive prominent
mention in government bulletins and pamphlets for which we are grateful. These citations
are tremendous incentive boosters that encourage us to continuously improve ourselves.

Part of this is by adopting a website to make it easier for the public to transact
with us. Online transactions have increased in the past months such that we receive direct
enquiries from foreign counties. True to our tradition, however, we still strive to maintain
Callos as a small resort available only by prior booking to preserve its serenity and our
clients’ needs for privacy.

In the coming years as we plan our own soon-to-be retirement we also plan to
open and develop retirement communities. We are preparing for yet another convergence
as our wandering OCWs will soon be returning to reap the rewards of a life spent in toil
in foreign climes. This is where I feel we are being directed now and I just let my
enthusiasm takes its course. Through the years we have learned to work on our business’
core strengths when these concepts were not yet being taught in business schools and
courses like tourism and entrepreneurship were unheard of. And it has taken me very far
indeed from the time Inang taught me the value of enterprise. Sometimes people ask me
when I will actually retire. I point my Tatang to them who at 84 continues to pursue his
passions with unending drive. Like him I am still fired up with new ideas that must be
realized. I am fortunate to have a husband who has been very supportive and
understanding of my drive and passions. I am thankful for life’s gifts and I am as a child
eagerly opening each one.

And I am thankful to be considered as a nominee for one of the most inspiring

tourism entrepreneurs. It might read more altruistic were I to say that Callospa & Farm
Resort was conceived to answer the government call to boost our country’s tourism
program or to provide skills training and employment to our kababayan or to contribute
to the progress of our young city. It may even sound romantic were I to say that our resort
was designed to be a lovers’ paradise as it has been for me and my husband. They were
not what we set out to do as we flowed from challenge to opportunity and yet I am
thankful that Callos has been all these and more.