From upland farmer to TOYM awardee — Mark Gersava on overcoming poverty

In the boonies of Sultan Kudarat province in Mindanao, where conflict would force his community to evacuate, Mark Gersava found a way to finish college. He eventually ended up in an office in Makati where he is thriving as a “social entrepreneur.”

He explains to Howie Severino how an innovative, conscience-driven businessman can compete against hard-core capitalists. His main product? Plantable bamboo toothbrushes.

HOWIE: Magandang araw, podmates! Howie Severino muli na nagpapaalala na nakakatalino ang mahabang attention span.

Ang tawag ng guest natin ngayon sa sarili ay isang chief executive farmer. Siya si Mark Gersava, social entrepreneur, ayon sa kaniyang LinkedIn profile, isang trained food scientist, miyembro ng National Innovation Council ng gobyerno at isa sa mga TOYM awardee noong 2023.

Isa sa mga misyon niya ay sugpuin ang problema ng plastic waste sa pamamagitan ng bamboo products katulad ng bamboo straws at bamboo toothbrushes. Magandang araw sa iyo, Mark Gersava.

MARK: Magandang araw, Howie, at sa ating mga tagapakinig.

HOWIE: Okay, Mark, you grew up in Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao. Hindi masyadong kilala 'yung iyong probinsya. Tell us something about your province first. At ano 'yung mga condition noong lumalaki ka?

MARK: So basically, our province, we considered as the coffee capital of the Philippines. Lumaki ako sa isang komunidad na kung saan mataas 'yung rebellion. So maraming mga leftists along the area. At 'yung lugar namin, it's very far. It's the southern part of the Philippines. So 'yung kabila nu'n is I think it's already Indonesia.

At for almost 20 years, nakatira ako sa bundok. Okay, sinasabi ko nga na I'm the living Tarzan because that's 20 years of my life living in the kind of community na kung saan 'yung mga puno, 'yung mga wild animal 'yung mga kalaro noong kabataan ko.

HOWIE: Okay, well, interesting childhood, 'no? But unang-una, 'yung sabi mo, Sultan Kudarat is the coffee capital of the Philippines. Kasi kadalasan 'pag iniisip, kape sa Pilipinas, Batangas, Cavite. Pero baka nagugulat 'yung mga taga-Luzon, ha? Sinasabi mo 'yung coffee capital ang Sultan Kudarat. Why? Why is your province making that claim?

MARK: Yeah, it was declared already ng ating bansa. Kasi sobrang napakalaki lang doon. Kasi siguro dati nakilala 'yung probinsya namin na may giyera. May ganu'n lagi 'yung naririnig natin sa news. But behind that, since I think way back around 2012, so doon na siya nakikilala na sobrang maraming kape nu'ng paunti-unti na na nawawala 'yung insurgency along the area, kasi napapasok na siya ng mga tao kung saan nakatanim 'yung mga kape.

So ganu'n 'yung istorya roon kung bakit late lang siya nakilala na sobrang dami nu'ng kape roon. It's because dati nga rin talaga is hindi basta-basta nakakapasok doon sa mga lugar kung saan 'yung mga kape is nakatanim.

HOWIE: Okay, so may history ng conflict 'yung Sultan Kudarat. And you actually witnessed conflict? Were you affected by it?

MARK: Growing up is naging internally displaced people or we called it bakwit. So naranasan din namin na palipat-lipat ng bahay. Nu'ng elementary ako nakikita ko rin na 'yung mga helicopter na binobomba 'yung ibang lugar doon sa lugar namin. So guns ... mga huni ng ibon. So 'yun 'yung mga narinig ko. Guns. And then doon ko napagtanto na walang hustisya. Kasi nakikita ko lang may mga namamatay lang doon sa gilid. Okay, witnessed it personally.

And then, wala masyadong presence ng should I say gobyerno, ng pulis. Kasi nga I think sometimes siguro so it's because of the criticality of the area kaya hindi kaagad-agad sila nakakapasok 'yung mga kawani ng gobyerno para ayusin 'yung peace and development.

So when I grow up kasi nga lagi kaming palipat-lipat, so kailangan kong maglakad ng dalawang oras papunta sa school. Then, dalawang oras ulit pabalik sa school in order lang na makapag-aral. And then, we grow up really na malnourished kasi halos wala talaga kaming makain. Like umabot sa level na pati 'yung asin is kailangan naming hiramin sa kapitbahay at saka 'yung apoy, 'yung fire.

So may mga time talaga na isang linggo wala kaming bigas. So kung ano lang 'yung ma-forage namin sa forest, 'yun lang 'yung kakainin namin. So ganu'n 'yung storya nu'ng kabataan ko living in that kind of conflict-ridden place area before. But sa ngayon, yeah, it's already a progressive place.

HOWIE: Yeah, so you grew up in a family of farmers. Ganu'n ba? Upland farmers.

MARK: Upland, yes. Kasi 11 kami na magkakapatid. I'm the number eight.

HOWIE: Ano pala 'yung sinaka ng pamilya mo when you were growing up?

MARK: So basically, may vegetable, palay, corn. So halos lahat ng mga sinasaka, tinry na nu'ng tatay ko, like onion.

HOWIE: And so, wow, so you overcame a situation of conflict. Naging bakwit kayo. Sabi mo, medyo malnourished kayo. You overcame all of that, 'no? And now you're working in Makati. You look like you have a good professional life. So how did you overcome all of that?

MARK: Yeah, so siguro, I think, perseverance. We have that dream, we have that ambition to get out of poverty. Kasi 'yun lang talaga 'yung pangarap naming magkakapatid kasi ang hirap talaga, parang sabi ko hindi pa ako nakakita ng hirap na naranasan namin nu'ng mga bata pa kami. Wala pa akong name-meet dito sa Pilipinas na ganu'ng level ng kahirapan.

And of course, I think we have that trust. Kasi I'm really a godly person. So I think hindi talaga kami bumitaw sa Panginoon. And right now, should I say, most of us, are already social entrepreneurs. Like, mayroon din ako mga kapatid na kung saan mayroon din silang sarili, tinutulungan nila 'yung mga person with disabilities. So 'yung mga ano ko is they are doing virtual assistance. So should I say, I'm comfortable now.

And I can proudly say that all of us already, the ten of us are already accomplished people. So para pa ring mga farmer. Me also is nagpa-farm pa rin until now kahit nandito ako sa Makati. So umuuwi pa rin ako ng probinsya roon. Being a farmer is really, I think, nandu'n na 'yun sa puso ko. Kasi 'yun 'yung kinalakhan.

HOWIE: Yeah, okay, Mark. So you're like many, ano, you grew up in a farming family. But you're different in the sense na nagkaroon ka ng higher education, ano? Kasama ng mga kapatid mo, ganu'n din. What was the secret, if there's any? Ano ba 'yung opportunities? Paano ka nagkaroon ng opportunities for higher education?

MARK: Kasi naniwala ko sa sarili ko na mayroon talaga akong kakayanan. So during my higher education, during my college is I'm a working and self-supporting student. Kasi I'm in the state university so ang ginagawa ko is nagjo-join ako ng mga different organization para magkapera.

'Pag naging leader ka roon, 'pag pinadala ka sa Baguio or sa mga training, mayroon P800 na allowance per day. And then, kung anu-anong mga contest, kahit singing competition, oration, name all those singing competitions, sinalihan ko 'yun in order na magkaroon ng pera para masuportahan 'yung aking pag-aaral. So hindi ako masyado on academic.

But, of course, still, kailangan pa rin mataas kasi I have a scholarship need to maintain. But most of my life during the college is, 'yun na nga, nasa student body organization, nasa community ako. Hindi sa dahilan ng I have the passion to help. But during that time, it's really a survival para makatapos ako ng pag-aaral. Kasi 'yun lang 'yung nakikita kong means na magkaroon ako ng pera. Mag-join all those different organizations.

HOWIE: And then, may I ask what state university you went to?

MARK: Yeah. So I came from Sultan Kudarat State University, Isulan Campus. So we're the first batch actually na naging university na siya. So still located in Sultan Kudarat. I think it's the largest university in our province.

As a social entrepreneur

HOWIE: I see. So you call yourself a social entrepreneur. How is being a social entrepreneur different from what people normally associate with the word 'entrepreneur'?

MARK: Being a social entrepreneur kasi ito 'yung negosyo na panglipunan na kung saan hindi lamang pang-adboksiya 'yung ginagawa namin. Like 'yung ginagawa namin sa kumpanya ko, sa Bambuhay, is nagbibigay kami ng employment, ng green employment para sa ating mga kababayang katutubo na kung saan ito sila 'yung hindi nabigyan ng oportunidad na makapag-aral.

So tinutulungan namin sila na like ngayon is above the minimum wage kahit wala silang pinag-aralan. 'Yung pinapasahod pa rin namin sa kanila above the minimum wage. So kina-capacitate din namin sila before sila nag-engage as an employee. Sa aming kumpanya is tine-train namin sila paanong gamitin 'yung talento and skills nila.

Tumutulong kami sa mga kapuwa nating mahirap. Hindi all about na para lang tulungan sila. It's intentional na parte sila ng negosyo. And of course nandu'n pa rin 'yung environmental na 'yung negosyo is hindi nakakasira sa kalikasan. The products na ino-offer namin are all eco-friendly. So 'yun 'yung pagkakaiba.

Kasi most of the entrepreneur ay 'yung goal lang talaga nila is magkaroon ng profit. Okay, magkaroon ng pera. But here is we want to grow. Being a social entrepreneur, we want to grow our business together with the community, the marginalized community that we are serving. And also we are providing sustainable livelihood for those farmers. Not the typical livelihood na bigyan mo silang livelihood.

For us kasi is really we value their product. And 'yung isang pinaka-goal namin doon is we really need to increase their income. Dati is kumikita sila ng below P3,000. Ngayon, some of our partners, hindi namin sila tinatawag na beneficiaries but partners, ay nakapagpatayo ng bahay, nakapagpaaral na ng kanilang mga anak, nakapagpatapos ng kanilang mga anak. So 'yun 'yung pinagkaiba of an entrepreneur and a social entrepreneur.

HOWIE: Okay, Mark, just to clarify. Being a social entrepreneur doesn't mean that you are not also turning profit.

MARK: Yes. We are turning profit also. It's balanced. Okay, balancing the profitability, the equitability of the people and of course, the welfare of our natural resources or our environment. Kumikita siya sa tamang paraan, okay, na wala tayong in-exploit na tao, na tama 'yung pasahod, at saka nakakabuti siya sa ating planet.

HOWIE: Okay. Kasi 'yung mga nakikinig ngayon na mga entrepreneur na they don't consider themselves social entrepreneurs, baka iniisip nila na ang hirap mag-compete kapag may mga requirement ka pa na ganyan, Mark. You have to be sustainable, you have to pay your workers better, provide them with all of these benefits.

I mean, you have to compete with other businesses that don't have to do these things, kasi 'yung mga sinasabi mo, this costs money, 'di ba, to be a responsible entrepreneur, to be a social entrepreneur.

So how are you able to compete with other entrepreneurs who don't feel as responsible?

MARK: I think 'yung mga produkto pa rin naman namin ngayon, when I computed them, actually, it's 20 to 30% cheaper than our competitors in the market, than the typical entrepreneur. So it's all about balancing the profitability. Siguro kami hindi lang ganu'n kataas 'yung profitability namin, but we are proud of it kasi 'yung pamilya namin, naiahon namin sa kahirapan and I have a good life right now.

Ito 'yung negosyo na kailangan gawin ko na hindi nag-eexploit ng mga tao. So should I say it's all about the margin. Kasi minsan 'yung ibang negosyante talaga, ibang level kung magkaroon ng patong ng mga produkto nila.

So I think doon nagkakatalo and nagagampanan pa rin naman namin 'yung responsibilidad namin sa ating bansa na magbayad nang maayos na tax. And now, in the survey 'yung mga pinu-purchase nila na mga produkto ay hindi nakakasira sa kalikasan at hindi rin nag-eexploit ng mga tao, ng ordinaryong Pilipino.

Bambuhay

HOWIE: Okay, Mark, I'm gonna ask you about the real world situation now because you produce and sell bamboo products. That's what you've become known for. In particular lately 'yung bamboo toothbrushes, I know you started out with bamboo straws. Are you turning a profit in this bamboo toothbrush production?

MARK: Yeah, I mean I say like for example in our bamboo straws, okay, simula tayo roon, we have around 27% profit margin. Kinausap ko 'yung mga veteran na mga negosyante, that's really a very good margin. At ngayon naman with our plantable toothbrush, yes, with our bamboo toothbrush, yes, kumikita rin naman, we have still a good margin.

But ngayon, for example, for how many years ang ginagawa kasi namin, like lahat ng profitability namin is nire-reinvest namin sa kompanya for our expansion.

HOWIE: Okay, kasi ang kalaban mo rito, in terms of your business, it's not just your competitors in the bamboo industry. Ang kalaban mo rito, plastic.

MARK: Yes.

HOWIE: And of course, plastic exists because it's convenient, it's cheap to produce, it's light, et cetera. Ang daming advantages ng plastic. So 'yan ang kinakalaban mo riyan. Kasi most straws in the world, like I would say up to now, 99% or more straws in the world are still made of plastic.

Although I'm seeing more and more na kahit bakal and bamboo, ano? And toothbrushes, of course, are still mostly plastic. So how are you able to compete with plastics?

MARK: 'Yung sa amin kasi is we use local talents and we use local product and we establish also our facility in the rural areas para hindi na pumunta sa mga urban area 'yung mga manggagawa natin na nandu'n sa mga rural area. So isa 'yan.  

And of course, support from the government also. Napakalaking tulong nu'n sa amin. Kasi some of our equipment, it was supported by our Department of Trade and Industry. So hindi siya nagkaroon ng masyadong capital intensive kasi binigay 'yun ng gobyerno natin na libre through grant.

Malaking tulong 'yan in order na na-decrease namin 'yung aming products kaya available siya sa market. And I think that 'yun 'yung isa sa pinakamalaking tulong namin. And I think it's all about being profitable and the balance to the environment.

And of course, with the support of international organizations also. Nakatanggap din kami ng mga support like in our research also. Nu'ng ginagawa namin 'yung produkto, we have a good support from FPRDI-DOST [Department of Science and Technology - Forest Products Research and Development Institute]. 'Yun 'yung mga diskarte na ginawa ko in order that we can compete in the market.

Beyond our distribution is we are also working with this negotiation. It's still in the negotiation with those big companies, encouraging them to really get their products locally, using mga Filipino innovation.

So ganu'n 'yung mga strategy, okay. At 'yung pasahod, like for example, me, like I'm the CEO of the company but still 'yung sahod ko, it's not the typical CEO of the big companies na kasi ang layo ng gap, e. Like for example, 'yung CEO natin dito minsan, minsan P120,000. And then, some are earning as much as P400,000. Sobrang kaunti lang 'yung difference nu'ng sahod ko being a CEO roon sa sahod ng pinakamababang posisyon sa aming kompanya. I want it na hindi lavish na kunyari nakapagtapos ka, et cetera, is 'yun na 'yung gagamitin mo kasi of course, we know that, that we have really that capacity to re-strategize but we want to give opportunity for those people na in the marginalized na hindi nagamit ng maayos 'yung mga skill nila and we capacitate them in order to use those kind of skills.

Sa mga management namin, hindi ganu'n kataas din 'yung pasahod namin. Sakto lang, okay, na mabuhay na sabihin natin na convenient, okay, na buhay na nakakatulong ka sa kapuwa mo at basically, 'yung negosyo mo nga is nakakatulong para protektahan at isalba 'yung ating environment.

Bamboo toothbrush

HOWIE: Wow, keeping the gap between the CEO and other workers of the company small is a big challenge for the business sector. Siyempre, 'pag CEO ka na, ang laki ng expectation para sa sarili.

But going back to your product, Mark, so one of your innovations is that your bamboo toothbrushes have contained seeds of native trees, tama ba 'yun? How viable has this been? Has this idea caught on?

And number two, how much is each toothbrush? And how do you distribute and market?

MARK: So basically, it costs P120. 'Yung maayos na toothbrush na mga plastic toothbrush is P135 already in the market. 'Yung sa Bambuhay, that's what we call plantable toothbrush. Should I say it's really competitive.

And right now, we are in the major malls around the Philippines. So we are in the Sinag sari-sari store, which is located in the different major malls. In the GoLocal stores also of the Department of Trade and Industry, nandu'n na rin kami 'yung distribution namin. But we are really looking forward in our distribution right ngayon is 'yung moving forward namin is naghahanap kami ng mga municipal distributor because we want to create more entrepreneurs. Ayaw rin kasi namin na typical na mago-grow 'yung negosyo ru'n sa loob ng malls. Because we know capitalism, okay, is very crucial issue rin dito sa ating bansa. 'Yung gap between the poor and the rich. So we want to create more entrepreneurs. So 'yun 'yung mga diskarte namin ngayon na to create those kind of platform.

And we have strong partnership also with corporate, partnership through their CSR program or ESG -Environmental and Social and Government Program. Ginagamit namin 'yung plantable toothbrush para maging ehemplo nila, instead na typical na tree planting na ginagawa ng mga kumpanya. So pinapagamit muna namin for three months 'yung plantable toothbrush. And after three months, iniimbita namin sila roon sa aming community na pumunta at magtanim. Okay, ganu'n 'yung ginagawa namin. Itatanim nila 'yung plantable toothbrush nila.

So the story of the plantable toothbrush basically, it's because of pandemic, should I say. Kasi nga, we're affected. 'Yung bamboo straw namin, we're good now. We're in the big brand already in the Philippines. But of course, 'yung tourism and food industry talaga, beverage industry is 'yung naapektuhan during the pandemic. So that's the idea. Then, naghahanap talaga kami ng produkto na kung saan resilient na kahit may pandemic, may calamity, ginagamit pa rin ng mga tao.

So that's why in conducting a lot of research, so tinry, nag-test because basically, fan ako ng research, na kailangan it should be viable, na kailangan mo natatanim, na totoo 'yung iyong claims.

And which is upon conducting a lot of bootstrapping with the product, so we came up with this technology using a nanotechnology and different modern technology in order to make this plantable toothbrush happen. So 'yun siya. Mga native tree.

For example ngayon, we have mamalis, pine tree, acacia, native here in the Philippines, alibambang. So for example, in your family, the father is the pine tree, the mother is the acacia, then 'yung anak mo either bamboo, alibambang. So that sustainability works inside the family. Because we want that sustainability could be accessed easily.

Those eco-friendly products should be cheaper. And it should be started in our home. So mas madali na lang kasi pag na-convince na natin 'yung mga, 'pag ginagawa na ng mga tao 'yung lifestyle being an eco-friendly. And basically, mas makatipid din doon sa mga pang-araw-araw nilang gastusan. So that's how it works.

HOWIE: Okay, of all the things you could be doing as an entrepreneur or social entrepreneur, bakit bamboo? Bakit kawayan 'yung tinutukan mo?

HOWIE: That's it for now, podmates! Tune in for the second part of our discussion with award-winning social entrepreneur Mark Gersava.

Click here for Part 2: Bamboo vs plastic — Mark Gersava on innovating solutions