Nancy’s Batchoy Serving for Successby: Rose Ann Villasis
Do the one thing you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never truly tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it. – Oprah Winfrey
In the small barangay of Santa Barbara, the aroma of simmering broth and savory meat filled the air, attracting both locals and tourists to a simple eatery. This was the birthplace of Nancy Batchoy – a humble noodle soup that soon became a signature taste of the town.
Ms. Nancy P. Concepcion is a resident of Barangay Duyan Duyan, Santa Barbara, Iloilo. The 54-year-old is a single mother with six children. Since then, she has been the one who tirelessly faced challenges with unfaltering love for their four children who stayed with her, while the other two were in their father’s custody.
Every day was a struggle to make ends meet. Nancy took on various jobs like a manicurist, seamstress, and food vendor in the wee hours of the morning and afternoon, selling snacks. Despite her efforts, there were days when the weight of providing for her family seemed impossible. However, Nancy’s source of strength was her children who fueled her to persevere and continue.
Regardless of her tenacity to provide for the needs of her family, her neighbors showed disbelief in her efforts. With her undaunted spirit, she opened a small eatery in their neighborhood that catered to construction workers and tricycle drivers. One regular day, a chef (seafarer) customer advised her to include Batchoy on her menu and gave her the recipe. After launching her Batchoy in her afternoon snacks, obstacles arrived to ruin her business.
In unfortunate times, the Pandemic came and the restriction of opening an eatery is prohibited. Social Distancing was implemented and her livelihood was greatly affected. The profit of her small eatery slowly decreased.
Midst the recovery from the pandemic in 2022, Nancy received P10,000 worth of Seed Capital Fund from the Sustainable Livelihood Program as additional capital for her business, focusing on enhancing and perfecting her Batchoy. After countless trials and tweaks, she finally found the perfect balance of flavors. The rich savory broth, tender meat, and multiple noodle choices create a comforting and delicious dish.
Her destiny takes a drastic turn after a local customer promotes her Batchoy. A primary school teacher in their town was impressed by its delectable taste. The school asked for her Batchoy at every school event. As a result, her delicious Batchoy gained popularity throughout the entire town. The enterprise piqued the interest of several business-minded neighbors, but they could not replicate its distinct flavor.
Moreover, Nancy was invited to town activities to showcase her dish. People would line up at her stall, eager to taste the soup that everyone was talking about. Her Batchoy brought pride to her town as it was a symbol of warmth and resilience, much like herself. Many people, including the municipal mayor and local government employees, enjoyed and savored the taste of the popular noodle dish. Suddenly, in just a split-second, Nancy’s
Batchoy was known to other towns, becoming a tourist attraction and a staple dish.
With her newfound success, the number of customers increased every day. With a profit of P4,000- 8,000 sales daily, she was able to save enough money to establish another enterprise. Aside from her Batchoy, she has now put up her Sari-Sari Store and continues her small eatery. The Municipal Mayor became her regular customer, and she was even encouraged to consider branching out, concerning the number of customers coming to her place and the sanitation of her location. After careful thought and consulting with her friends and family, who were very supportive, she decided to leap fate. In May of this year, she opened a new branch in the town of Santa Barbara, making it more convenient for customers who no longer need to travel to Barangay Duyan Duyan.
Now, Nancy can provide a better life for her children. The once-struggling mother became a beloved figure in the community. Known not only for her Batchoy but also for her incredible strength and determination. Through her journey, Nancy showed that even in the most challenging times, hope and resilience can lead to unexpected and wonderful success.
Nancy’s branch in the town was now generating P8,000–10,000 daily in 24 hours of operation. Expanding her business required a huge amount of courage since she knew that it was a gamble to get out of her comfort zone. But later, she found out that her decision was the best choice she made in her life.
Nancy’s success extends beyond business; she has successfully supported her children, three of whom have graduated from college, while one is currently a third year student in criminology.
Her children serve as her inspiration, as she strives to provide them with a comfortable life and prepare them for the future. Nancy always reminds her children to be responsible individuals and to be vigilant in all aspects of life.
Nancy’s adversity in life solidified her legacy. Her journey from a small food vendor to a successful business chain owner was proof of the result of hard work and dedication. She proved that with passion and perseverance, anyone could overcome any obstacle and achieve their dreams.
Nancy’s Batchoy continued to flourish, bringing joy and comfort to everyone who tasted and cherished her recipe. Currently, Nancy continues to run her business with the support of her friends and family. She shares her secret to success in business: always remain humble, stay focused on your goals, and avoid distractions from others. She believes that when you do good, everything else will follow, by the grace of God. She proudly attributes her success to Batchoy, which has become one of her achievements. She can proudly say that Batchoy is serving her.
“Gapasalamat gid ko sa DSWD sa ila nga bulig sa akon, wala-wala gid ko sang gin buligan ko nila. Tungod sa ila nga program nga Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) na padayon ko gid ang akon nga Negosyo kag nalab-ot ko akon handom nga maka pa branch-out. Subong naging mayo na gid ang kahimtangan sang akon pamilya (I am very grateful to the DSWD for their help to me, as I had nothing when they assisted me. Because of their program, the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), I was able to continue my business and achieve my dream of branching out. Now, my family’s situation has greatly improved).” – Nancy P. Concepcion
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