Special Feature: Big things from humble beginnings

CEBU, Philippines - He was a farmer's son who became a janitor and later on one of Cebu's successful businessmen. He is Iluminado "Lou" Ornopia, the man behind MS Motosuit. Before MS Motosuit, Ornopia's life was ordinary: he was a farmer at 9 and a janitor when he was in college.

Ornopia is the 10th child (they are 11 children in the family), and according to him, at age 9, he was already helping his father till rice fields. "Naa mi'y gamayng umahan. Grade 3 pa lang ko kamao nako modaro. Anang panahona nakakita nako unsa kapait sa kinabuhi," Ornopia recalled. He said that although his father was a "capitan del barrio" in their village, everyone in the family had to work hard so that they would have something to eat. He remembered that once a week, they would walk 10 kilometers to the nearest sea where they would help his father fish, again for food for the family. "Every weekend mangadto mi sa dagat, maglakaw mi'g 10 ka kilometro. Dad-on gyud mi sa among amahan kay matud pa niya, para dili na siya mopalit og pagkaon kay didto ang isda iyang buwaron, sakto na para sa among pagkaon sa usa ka semana," he said.

After graduating from high school, Ornopia's elder siblings went to Manila to find work; and when his time came, he moved to Dumaguete where his elder brother was working, to get a college education. Although enrolled in a state-run school, Ornopia said he still had to work to support his other needs, so he applied at Norkis, following his brother, Fiel, who was also a janitor there. Ornopia's job included mopping the floor, dusting the offices, cleaning the motorcycles on display and other tasks that a person of such position is expected to do. As a janitor, he earned P50 per week, which was a lot more money compared to what got when he was still helping his father in their small farm. "Lipay kaayo ko nga naay P50 kada semana as a janitor. First time ko nga naay sweldo," he recalled.  This was in 1986.

Ornopia was supposed to finish a two-year course, Associate in Industrial Technology (AIT), but the people in Norkis saw his potential to succeed and encouraged him to continue a four-year degree. But the four years of the school's AIT would mean he had to go on an internship, thereby sacrificing his job in Norkis, hence, Ornopia said even if he did not see himself as a teacher, he enrolled in Industrial Education, just so he could get a four-year college degree.

Juggling school and work is not easy, but Ornopia found it an exciting daily habit. "Sa adlaw, eskwela ko, sa gabii manglimpyo, mag-scrub sa sawg, manarapo sa mga lamesa, manghugas sa mga motor," he said. He shared that his life as a janitor, however, became more exciting when he was allowed to deliver items to other places, which meant he had to drive a motorcycle. From time to time, his work would also bring him back to Cebu and even to other provinces in the region. Later on, Ornopia's janitorial skills leveled up, he sidelined in clerical work. He also helped in the registration of vehicles where he started earning extra cash, which he sent to his family in San Remigio.

When he finished college, Norkis hired Ornopia as a credit and sales representative, and loaned him his first motorcycle.

Shortly after, he was promoted as manager in the company's branch in San Carlos, Negros Occidental. "Enjoy kaayo ko sa akong kinabuhi. Mamaligya og motor, sige'ng naa sa field," he said. A year later, Cebu Reliance Motor Sales hired him to manage its shop in Cebu. But the stint was short because he was transferred to a branch in a mall, which he considered as a "kalbaryo", prompting him to resign. "When I was assigned in SM didto nagsugod akong kalbaryo kay naanad man ko'g field. Sa SM gud, dili ka kagawas, bugnaw kaayo. Dili gyud ko ganahan og office-based," he said. He said it was the "turning point" of his life that he decided to stop working despite his wife's vehement objection. They already had two children then but Ornopia said that although he would not get a cent as separation pay from the company, he still went ahead with his plan, a decision which even his wife would thank him later. "Nidesidir gyud ko. Ni-resign bisa'g sige og hilak akong asawa. Dili naman ko ganahan motrabaho," Ornopia said.

Jobless, Ornopia opened a small shop in their rented apartment in Cebu City using what little cash he earned from working. There he started making motorcycle seat covers, an idea he got while still working with Norkis and Cebu Reliance. He said at that time he believed his small business would work. "Sa una gud, kung magpailis ka og seat cover, moadto pa ka sa upholstery shop unya mohuwat pa ka og dugay. Kung ganahan ka og design, sunod adlaw pa nimo makuha," he said. But with Ornopia's business, a client would only choose a ready-made seat cover, and after 10 minutes, the product is already attached at the motorcycle seat.

"Ang style nako pareha sa gawas: pre-fabricated na, deretso nalang haum sa motor. With designs na and brand," he said.

Ornopia said that albeit small, the business was doing well, he was able to feed his family and pay their bills. But luck seemed to run out for Ornopia after the owner of their rented apartment decided to sell the property. Ornopia said his world suddenly turned upside down. But then again, the decision-maker in him got the better of that problem. He said he asked his older sister, who had a house in Barangay Kasambagan, if we could live with them while they were still looking for a new place. The sister agreed. In gratitude, Ornopia repaired a portion of the old house and built his new shop at the front of the house. He recalled how everything was crammed in that little shop, which was also his bedroom and office.

The family stayed in his sister's for quite a while despite his wife's insistence they move to a bigger place as the family was getting bigger. It was there where he had to leave his family to market his product to the other parts of the Visayas and in Mindanao. Ornopia said he enjoyed his "trail" days, riding his motorcycle, wherein he would bring loads of his seat covers to a certain place and go home with wads of cash. There were already other makers of seat covers at that time, but he said his products probably stood out because he used quality materials, which he imported from abroad. Also, his designs seemed to have an appeal to motorcycle owners, he said.

In early 2000, the business started to boom. MS Motosuit became a household name that Ornopia did not have to work hard to market his own products. One time, while in Manila to introduce his seat covers, Ornopia said he was shocked when he saw his products being displayed at a motor shop there, when he asked where those came from, the owner told him he brought them from Mindanao.

And since he knew how to thank his clients, Ornopia said he would also buy the products of the shop owners who bought his seat covers. This is why Ornopia's MS Motosuit stores are not only selling seat covers but also motorcycle parts, tires, helmets, among others, which he buys from his clients all over the country, he said.

Ornopia was able to grow his business with seven outlets in Cebu and built his first house inside a 910-square-meter property in Consolacion town until imitations of his product started eating what he had built. He said in 2006 copycats of his products, reportedly made from China took away what would have been his sales. Friends turned into competitors, which further tipped the scale against Ornopia. But Ornopia said he persevered. It was only lately that he was able to recover, he said.

"Naa koy stong faith. Positive pud ko nga pagkatawo mao siguro nga bisa'g bagyuhon ko panagsa malabyan ra gyud na nako. Tungod sad sa naagian nga kalisud, naanad nako," he said.

Today Ornopia, a father of five, owns seven branches of MS Motosuit with around 100 people working for him, and other real properties, which include a 25-hectare farm in his hometown. In 2006, he moved his entire family from his sister's crammed place-cum-shop to a spacious estate in Consolacion town. His factory is also within this property, so that he could monitor the production, he said.

Looking back, Ornopia said if he did not follow his dreams, he would not be a successful person today.  "Gitan-aw nako nga ang kapobre usa ka challenge, usa sa mga rason nga ni-succeed ko. Kay mapursigi man gyud ka nga mokugi," he shared. He said his wife was against his move to resign, but it was a blessing that he did.

To those who also want to reach their dreams like he did, Ornopia has an advice: "Apart from hard work and perseverance, kinahanglan determined ka and you don't stop dreaming kay way imposible sa Ginoo. Naa'y daghang challenges sa unahan pero ayaw pag-atras kay wa ka kahibaw nga naa ra ang rewards didto sa unahan. Plus kakugi. But above all di gyud manlupig kay makita gyud nimo ang flow sa grasya." - /QSB (FREEMAN)