By Miel Royanni M. Hontucan
Sanison A. Tabio or known to us as Bossing is the father of the best Dumaguete tempura and the creator of the legendary ‘five level-type’ sauce. Let’s taste his story with five levels, five questions.
Level One: Bossing, nganung tempura man and imung gi negosyo ug gi-unsa ni pag-sugod?
(Bossing, why did you take on the tempura business and how did this start?)
A: “Tuig 2000 man to katung naa ko’y sari-sari store, kalas kayo ug pliti sa pedicab kung mangompra ko. Ang akong silingan kay nagbaligya ug sikadsikad dayon akong gipalit para makatigom ug kwarta.Pagkakita nako sa sikad nga nahatud sa balay kay kumpleto pa ang lutuanan ug tempura, paying pud ug tanang kinahanglanun sa pagbaligya ug tempura. Naa pud tung akong mga suki nga mga batan-on ngagi–suhulan nga mupalit ug coke ug pan sa tindahan nga sigeng pangimbitar nga kuyugan silang magbaligya ug tempura. Nikuyog ko nila kaisa pero naulaw ko sa una. Pagka-sunod kay nisulay ko dayon naka-kwarta ko ug otsenta. Lipay kayo ko ug akong giundangan akong pagka-janitor sa Medical Center.” (That was year 2000 when I had a sari-sari store then the pedicab fare was so expensive whenever I shop for goods for my store. I learned that one of my neighbors was
selling a sikad-sikad [food cart] so I bought it to save money. When it was brought home, I saw that the stove for cooking tempura, umbrella and the rest of the materials are still complete. That was also the time when teenagers bought coke and bread from my store and asked me to accompany them in selling tempura. I was shy to sell at first when I was with them. The second time, I earned eighty pesos and became so happy. I then quit my janitor job at Medical Center.)
Level Two: Unsa ang mga kalisod nga imuhang nabati sa pag-negosyo?(What were the hardships that you encountered in the business?)
A: Ang pag-atubang gyud sa mga tawo ang pinakalisod nga imuhang bation. Tagadire baya ko, kaila nako ning mga tawo. Na’ay kahitaboan nga na-ulawkaayo ko nga nangutana tong akong mga classmates sa Foundation sauna nga mga professional na kung nganong na-ingon-ato ko dayun mutubag ra ko nga wala nata’y mahimu.(Facing people is the hardest thing I experienced. I’m from here so people know me. There was a time when I was so ashamed when some of my former classmates in Foundation University who are now professionals asked me why I ended up like this and I answered that there was nothing anyone could do.)
Level Three: Unsa ang sinugdanan sa mga levels sa sauce para sa imung tempura? (How did the level-type sauce for your tempura start?)
A:Katong mga karaang Sillimanian nga mga gikan sa kursong pag-negosyo kay na suki nako sauna. Ingnan ko nila nga dapat naa ko’y himuon para malahi ko sa mga tig-baligya ug mga tempura. Nakahuna-huna ko ug level-level para malahi ko. (The Sillimanians before who became my regular customers and were business students told me to think of ways for my tempura to sell. I then thought of the level-type sauce to make my stall different from other tempura stores.)
Level Four: Naka bati mi nga naa naka’y mga franchise sa imung negosyo karon sa Cang’s. Unsa ang mga pama-agi para
makafranchise ka didto ug pila imuhang franchise sa syudad? (We learned that you already have a franchise of your business
at Cang’s [Incorporated]. What were the requirements and how many franchises do you currently have?)
A:Unom kabu-uk akong mga franchise. Isa sa Silliman, dayon sa Krosscat, ikatulo kay dapit sa ukay-ukay sa Villa Amada, ikaupat sa crossing sa St. Pauls, ikalima sa Foundation dayun ang bag-o kay sa Cang’s. Ang mga karaang Sillimanians man ang gakuha ug franchise nako. Wala man ko nakahuna-huna ana. Gi-anhi gyud ko ni Neil Cang ug gastorya mi nga ganahan siya mu-franchise sa akong negosyo. Siya ra daw bahala sa tanang himuon. Akoa na lang himuon kay maghatag ug sauce. (I have six franchises. One is at Silliman, the second is at KrossCat, the third one is near the ukay-ukay at Villa Amada, the fourth one is at crossing at St. Paul’s, the fifth one is at Foundation and the new one is at Cang’s. The alumni of Silliman wanted to franchise. Neil Cang (son of Roy Cang, owner of Cang’s Incorporated) came to me and talked about wanting to franchise. He said he would take care of everything. All I have to do is to provide the sauce.)
Level Five: Unsa ang mga kabag-uhan sa imuhang kinabuhi tungod kay naka-negosyo na ka? (What were the changes in your life that was brought by your business?)
A:Daghan kaayo man. Sauna kay dili ko kakaon ug Jollibee pero karon kay maka-kaon na. Ako nang napa-eskwela akong mga anak. Duha kay college sa Silliman ug St. Paul dayon ang kamanghuran kay high school pud sa Silliman. Nakapalit pud ko ug mga yuta para sa akong mga anak. Daghan pud kong nangailhan tungod sa akong negosyo. (It brought so many changes. Before, I couldn’t eat at Jollibee but I can now. I was also able to send my children to school. Two of them are in college at Silliman and at St. Paul’s then the youngest is at Silliman High School. I was able to buy pieces of land for my children too. I also met a lot of people because of my business.)
Bossing, you’re truly a one of a kind businessman that every Sillimanian knows.
