Doyee's economic freedom and independence

"No man is an island…" Top earner and resource speaker, Jojo Cecilia told us during a literacy lecture on how to be rich.

"People who need people are the luckiest people…" Another top earner and resource speaker, young (23-year old), good looking very dynamic and single, Bryan Baguyod spoke in another advocacy meeting and training on the same subject, how to be rich.

The lines they uttered are very familiar, and this is what these resource speakers wish to drive at, because this is what life is all about. I also remember workshop facilitator, Daisy Baad saying, "a group or even life, is like a machine or a plain typewriter. There are different parts, but it cannot function without any of the parts. It is helping one another with different functions.

That is what First Quadrant is also all about, according to its Chief Executive Officer and President, Ms. Rhodora Tactacan Tumpalan. It is helping one another. By doing so, the group will achieve more, even if no one is an employee or an employer, because First Quadrant, according to Ms. Doyee, is Economic Freedom. A dream, belief, attitude and perseverance to survive.

It was TF Lifestyle writer Han Kintanar who introduced me to the very friendly Joel Garcia, OIC of the Office of First Quadrant in Cebu, when the Concert Queen and Pipay owner-designer, Pops Fernandez, came to launch her Pipay collections here in Cebu, distributed by First Quadrant. This was some months ago, when I also met other First Quadrant top earners like Mr. and Mrs. de Leon, the Dabalos brothers, Roger, Rudy, Nyl, Tess Olis, Mam Elsie, among many others. (Incidentally, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate my now, good friend, Roger Dabalos, for he has just passed the recent exam for Criminilogy.)

"Had it not been for First Quadrant, I would not have finished the course," the good looking Roger told me. A series of meetings followed and the launching of the catalogue was decided - the 11th launching. A week before Independence Day, Roger reminded me of the launching which would be held at the Grand Convention Center in the evening of June 8. Three days later, colleague Han Kintanar also called up to remind. So, I had to scan my calendar of activities and learned that I should be with the undisputed Promo Queen, Ms. Josie Sanchez Pereyra, on this very day because we would be meeting the stars of "Nasaan Ka Man?" Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo and Claudine Baretto, entertain them, before the interview at SM City.

It was a good thing that the flight was delayed so, I told Ms. Josie that I would rather join them for the interview. So I attended the 11th launching of the catalogue of First Quadrant. I had to change my attire because there was a dress code - Filipiniana. Ms. Josie said, Jericho would attend the First Quadrant affair. The more I decided not to be with them at SM because, after all, Jill Rabaya of ABS-CBN would always say, "we have a plane to catch…" So the stars left minus the interviews. After all, who would know if I would be given a chance to talk with Jericho at the First Quadrant affair? True enough, he was introduced to the members of the media before he was introduced to the crowd. We were gathered in a small room where we also met the CEO-President of First Quadrant Ms. Doyee Tactacan Tumpalan in the flesh. The members of the media who were aggressive but patient were given free copies of the 356-paged latest edition of the catalogue, where Jericho is the cover, the back page and in some glossy inserted posters. It is also in this catalogue where one can see the latest business partners of First Quadrant. Among these are San Miguel Corporation, Globe Telecom, Sterling Paper, Philips products. A bonus is inserted where one will learn that First Quadrant has also business partners in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Ontario, Canada, Sydney, Australia, Dubai, among many other places in the world. First Quadrant is now going global, the first and only Filipino MLM (Multi-Level-Marketing), accredited by DTI which was also awarded "Most Outstanding Business Opportunity Award" besting Japan, Malaysia and Korea.

Ms. Doyee Tactacan, being the fourth but only heir of Laureano Guevarra of the Laureano Shoes in Marikina, has also her own brand now of Doyee bags, sandals and shoes, sold popularly in different countries with her motto, Filipino First, and foreigners are buying all these Filipino products at different First Quadrant business partners globally, despite the fact that only OFW's are recognized as Filipino earners abroad by different consulates worldwide.

Ms. Doyee, married to the Chairman of First Quadrant, Mr. Socrates S.D. Tumpalan, admits she is 33, and has two kids, but is very much younger and definitely much prettier in person than in her photos.