Jhonalyn Pahinag Pambid, 43, of Brgy. #5 Nagpatayan, Banna, Ilocos Norte, was one of the 10 participants in the Livelihood Training on Cakes and Pastries Production with NC II Accreditation, conducted by the Marcos Agro-Industrial School in Ilocos Norte under the Farmers Organizational Development (FOD) Project of the National Tobacco Administration. In the training facilitated by the NTA Ilocos Norte Branch Office from February 12 to March 13 last year, Jhonalyn learned through lectures and return demos how to make cakes (with different designs, shapes and flavors), rolls, pandesal, ensaymada, egg pie among other recipes. The NC II assessment of Jhonalyn and the other trainees, however, was not held on the third week as scheduled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
During the lockdown Jhonalyn used what she learned to bake pandesal, ensaymada and Spanish rolls for family snacks and, for additional income, she sold the rest to her neighbors. She baked her first birthday cake for her mother on May 25, 2020, and received positive comments for the cake and her other recipes. This jumpstarted her baking career and the birth of Rev’z Cakes and Goodies, her registered baking business named after her only child Rev. She and her husband Ricardo now deliver orders from customers not only within Banna, but also in neighboring towns like Dingras, San Nicolas, Nueva Era, Pinili and Badoc.
Her NC II assessment from TESDA came later on December. More than the Certificate, however, Jhonalyn gained a successful family business.
“Thank you very much NTA. I did not expect this. I only wanted to attend the training for the NC II certificate. Thank you for the opportunity to learn that helped me establish our family business. Now I am enjoying and loving what I am doing, especially with the positive feedbacks on our products from our customers.”
[Divina D. Pagdilao / NTA Ilocos Norte]