OFW now has 4 laundry shops in Cebu

Daclan (OWWA photo)

FROM the sands of Arabia to the cities of Cebu, the story of Hector Daclan’s homecoming to the Philippines is replete with ‘sudsy’ episodes.

His is a bubbly story of starting up and expanding a family business, which attests to his perseverance and passion to make life better for his family, and to be of service to his community.

Before, Hector has been ardently wishing to venture into business. His problem was that he had no access to capital. Due to the urgency of meeting the growing needs of his family, he opted to work abroad.

For nine years, he worked as a construction worker in various Middle East and Asian countries. After almost a decade, OFW Hector Daclan, who hails from Mandaue City, finally decided to come
back home for good, and fulfil his dream of putting up a business.

In 2004, he started a laundry business in Barangay Talamban in Cebu City from the proceeds of his properties and his savings as an OFW. He named the laundry shop “Jubilee” after his eldest daughter.

Coming from a job not directly related to entrepreneurship, Daclan found out that starting up a laundry business was challenging and risky. Being a newbie in the trade, he said, uncertainty was the biggest test he faced. However, with the support of his wife, Maria Eva, and his determination to learn from various seminars and training sessions conducted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and other government agencies, he learned the ropes and eventually decided to establish a second branch of his family business.

It was a perfect timing for Daclan, for he had read about OWWA’s program, the National Livelihood Support Fund-Livelihood Development Program for OFWs, in a local newspaper. The fund lends money to OFWs to finance their working capital for business creation or expansion.

Daclan borrowed P200,000 from the NLSF. The amount, Daclan said, helped him establish the second branch of Jubilee Laundry in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City in 2007.

Through time, OFW Daclan’s laundry business flourished as the demand for laundry services rose in Cebu due to urbanization.

In 2011, he decided to put up another branch in Mandaue City. This time, he borrowed from the OWWA’s P2-B OFW Reintegration Program Fund after he had fully paid his previous loan from the
NLSF. He was granted P500,000, enough to fund the third branch of his thriving laundry shop.

Later on, he decided to transfer the branch to a better location in Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City, where business is more robust. Jubilee Laundry started gaining loyal customers.

With hopes to maximize the potential of the business, Daclan put up his fourth and latest branch at H3, Basak, also in Lapu Lapu City.

“Our four laundry shops are, indeed, doing very well. Our income from the business enabled us to send our three children to renowned private schools. More importantly, we were also able to create jobs in our community,” Daclan said.

Today, Jubilee Laundry employs nine workers. Adil Mosqueda, one of the workers, said her job has helped improve her life.

“Having a regular salary is empowering for a woman like me. Aside from having a regular source of income, I learned to assist operating a laundry shop and interact with various people,” Adil said.

For Daclan, one of the most important things he had learned through the 12 years of his laundry business is prioritizing quality over quantity, and continually innovating to improve his craft.

“We are into promoting and improving laundry care. We strive for better quality. As much as possible, we want clothes to lengthen their wearability,” he said.

Daclan said he could not thank the OWWA enough for its support to returning OFWs like him.

“I owe my gratitude to OWWA, and I hope it will continue to provide training for OFWs, especially to those who want to engage in business and productively reintegrate in our country,” he said.