By Crisdeniele H. Clemente 

Fueled by ambition and a drive for financial independence, some Mariano Marcos State University students turn to entrepreneurship to help support their studies.

Allan Ancheta, a third-year physical education student from CTE, has emerged as a trailblazer through his unique take on the classic Ilocano dish called saluyot or jute leaves. He turned it into a crispy and flavorful snack. Ancheta's innovative twist on saluyot has not only garnered attention locally but also stirred curiosity from national customers as it was featured by GMA Regional Television News earlier this year. 

"I got the idea of transforming the saluyot from a traditional ingredient to a crispy delight when I saw a video online of an old woman frying maple leaves," Ancheta said. He was further motivated to develop the product when his mother jokingly remarked, "Saluyot manen!.. kanayon la ngaruden a saluyot iti sidatayon" (Saluyot again? But that is already common fare in our home). He then spent three months refining his recipe and experimenting on cooking techniques to balance the flavors of the crispy snack. 

Armed with a small investment from his savings, he officially launched his brand in July 2023. "The Saluyot Crunch" has seven available flavors: classic, cheese, barbecue, sour cream, honey butter, spicy barbecue, and salt and vinegar. He currently sells 400 packs of Saluyot Crunch each month and earns P10,000-12,000 a month, a big help in his expenses as a student. Each pack of Saluyot Crunch sells for P110.00.

Travis Irome Guinto, another physical education major from CTE, also embarked on a flavorful journey selling a Filipino spring roll called Dynamite, a flavorful snack that merges the explosive flavors of django (hybrid pepper), ground pork, and cheese. His product is branded "Dynamite Supreme." Striving to make both ends meet, he strikes a healthy balance between academics and entrepreneurship. 

Another young entrepreneur from CAS, Jacqueline Tolentino, sells fried chicken intestines or fried isaw, hard-boiled quail eggs in orange batter or kwek kwek, and buchi. The second-year AB English Language student sells these delicacies in her free time. She now has a growing customer base among students and faculty. 

"The money I earn helps me with school expenses. I also help with the bills at home even as I save for a back brace for my scoliosis," she confides. 

The stories of Allan, Travis, and Jacqueline inspire their fellow MMSU students. With passion, innovation, and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit, they build on their dreams one saluyot chip, spring roll, or buchi at a time.