In Ilocos Norte, a 20-year-old college student turned the traditional Ilocano ingredient, the saluyot or jute leaves, into a crispy and flavorful snack, which has given him extra money he now uses for school. 

Inspired by his mother's frequent use of saluyot in their meals, Allan Ancheta spent three months experimenting on a recipe that can turn the leaves into a tasty yet nutritious treat.

“Si mama kasi, ‘hala saluyot nanaman ang ulam natin,’ sabing ganon, kaya naisipan ko ang saluyot pwede pala [pagkakitaan] kasi very Ilokano," Ancheta said.

The ingredients in his recipe are basic – saluyot leaves, flour, powder flavoring, and water. The saluyot leaves are dipped into a mixture of flour and flavored powder with water before getting deep-fried. 

To reduce oil content, Ancheta bakes the chips in the oven for 10 minutes and dries them in the air for seven hours. 

He admitted that the work that goes into his venture has gotten in the way of his social life but the money he earns from the chips has helped cover for his expenses as a student. 

“As in puyat na puyat hindi pwedeng kapag inaya ka ng mga tropa mo pupunta ka nalang, kailangan mong disiplinahin ang sarili mo... sobrang laki ng tulong nito sa aking pag-aaral kasi yung mga gastusin ko sa school, dito [na] ako kumukuha," he said.

"Noong nagsisimula ako, as in na walang-wala, so doon ko naisip na magbasa ng mga libro about entrepreneurship and financial freedom. Nag-business ako at malaki ang naitulong [nito] sakin kasi [kapag may] dagdag gastusin sa school [at] sa mga bayarin, hindi ko kailangang humingi kila papa at may savings pa ako," he added.

His efforts didn’t go to waste as he was able to expand his small business. Now, his fellow students have become his resellers. He now earns a five-digit income with 400 packs of Saluyot Chips he sells in a month. 

His greatest lesson from his experience:

“Sa akin kasi, kung tuloy-tuloy lang at gusto mo ang ginagawa mo, mayroong magbabago at magbabago," he said.