07/08/2026
"๐๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃโ๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐จ."
Takoshii proudly celebrates the achievement of our founder, Menzies B. Fagarita, for serving as the esteemed commencement speaker for the Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) Molo Campus graduation.
From a livelihood grant of โฑ5000 to a successful business with two branches, your journey of resilience, hardwork, and dedication serves as an inspiration to every entrepreneur in Iloilo City.
We also extend our gratitude to the Iloilo City Government, Technical Institute of Iloilo City - Molo Campus, and DSWD Western Visayas for laying the foundation that made this success possible. Thank you so much!
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๐๐๐ โฑ5,000 ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 252 ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
What began as a โฑ5,000 livelihood grant and a determination to succeed has grown into a thriving food business with two store branchesโa journey that Menzies B. Fagarita hopes will inspire hundreds of new graduates to believe that even the smallest opportunity can change a life.
Standing before 252 graduates during the graduation ceremony of the Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) Molo Campus on Aug. 5, 2026, Fagarita was no longer the aspiring Culinary Arts trainee who once occupied the same seats.
Four years after completing the Culinary Arts program as a member of Batch 3 in 2022, she returned as commencement speaker and proof of what skills training, perseverance, and government support can achieve.
"I had dreams, but I wasn't sure where they would lead me. All I knew was that I wanted to learn and build a better future for myself and my family," Fagarita recalled.
Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, her journey was far from easy. She spoke of setbacks, disappointments, and moments when she questioned her own abilities. Yet instead of allowing failure to define her, she chose to keep moving forward.
Today, she proudly owns Takoshii, a food business that recently expanded with the opening of its second branch.
For Fagarita, the success of her business was built not only on determination but also on the practical skills she acquired at TIIC and the support extended through the Iloilo City Government.
She credited the Iloilo City Government under then Mayor Jerry P. Treรฑas for providing trainees with free competency assessments, transportation assistance, and food allowances.
She also highlighted the partnership between TIIC and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through which qualified graduates receive โฑ5,000 as start-up capital for small businesses. Fagarita was one of those beneficiaries.
"That โฑ5,000 became the seed money I used to start my business," she shared.
What many could have considered a modest amount became the foundation of a business that now continues to grow. For her, this shows how accessible government programs can create real opportunities for entrepreneurship when matched with hard work and determination.
Still, she emphasized that success did not happen overnight.
Behind the expansion of her business were countless early mornings, sleepless nights, sacrifices, mistakes, and lessons learned. There were days when sales were slow and moments when she considered giving up, but each challenge became an opportunity to grow stronger.
One lesson remained with her throughout her journeyโthe simple but powerful encouragement often shared by one of her mentors at TIIC: "Trying hard ta ya!"
Those words, she said, reminded her that giving one's best is never something to be ashamed of.
Addressing the graduates, Fagarita reminded them that receiving their certificates was not the end of their journey but the beginning of new opportunities.
Some, she said, would find employment, while others would pursue entrepreneurship or continue their education. Whatever path they choose, she encouraged them never to be ashamed of starting small.
"Your certificate is not your destinationโit is your key to new opportunities," she told the graduates.
She also reminded them that skills remain the greatest investment anyone can possess because knowledge and competence cannot be taken away.
As they begin the next chapter of their lives, she urged them to continue learning, remain humble, work hard, and trust God's guidance every step of the way.
Fagarita expressed gratitude to the trainers and mentors who equipped them with lifelong skills, to the Iloilo City Government now under Mayor Raisa S. Treรฑas for making quality skills training accessible, to DSWD for providing aspiring entrepreneurs with start-up assistance, and to their families whose sacrifices made their success possible.
Her story has become a testament to the vision of the Iloilo City Government and TIICโthat investing in technical education, skills development, and livelihood assistance does more than produce graduates; it creates entrepreneurs, generates jobs, and transforms lives.
For the 252 graduates of TIIC Molo Campus, Fagarita's journey served as a reminder that every successful entrepreneur begins somewhere, and sometimes, all it takes is one opportunity, one skill, and the courage to keep moving forward. (Iloilo City PIO)
