Tiffany Lim Ngo (Tiff)
Marketing Director – SL Agritech Corporation
SL Agritech Corporation supplies to restaurants and hotels. We also encourage hotels and restaurants to serve brown rice, as an option to their consumers. We are proud to say that Dona Maria has the best tasting brown rice.
Community Programs:
- Balik Biyaya “Bigas Mo, Tulong Mo” Program
- Rice Bucket Challenge
- & Feeding Program for Bauan and Bolbok refugees, Batangas
- GMA Kapuso
- Bantay Bata
Three things you make sure you focus on in your work:
Family – Our company is a family-run business; SL Agritech Corp. is named after my late grandfather, Lim Seh Leng. SL Agritech Corp. and has been in business for 20 years now while our mother company Sterling Paper, is already 73 years.
My grandmother, Maria, of which our brand Dona Maria is named after, taught me to always put family first and to live by the virtues of loyalty, obedience, patience, and generosity. These virtues have played an important role on how I look at my surroundings and has influenced my decisions and actions.
Farmers – SL Agritech Corp. carries out research and development of hybrid rice seeds, and produces Dona Maria Rice and Willy Farms Rice. Our company is fully-integrated from seed development, to planting, harvesting, milling, packing, and distribution. Our mission is to uplift the lives of Filipino farmers and to make the Philippines rice self-sufficient one day. All Dona Maria and Willy Farms rice are produced locally, and we buy-back the palay from our Filipino farmers.
We have farmers all over the country, even outside of the Philippines, planting our hybrid seeds and it is indeed inspirational to see and listen to the success stories of our farmers. We have farmers who now own SUV’s and cemented houses. Farmers who are able to provide livelihoods to their fellow neighbors. And farmers who have regained hope that there is a future in agriculture, and are now teaching their children and grandchildren to plant.
The farmers are one of the reasons my family and I go to work every day. It is because of them that we can proudly say we are making a difference in other people’s lives.
Fellow Workers – Our employees uphold the company’s Mission and Vision. They share the value and advocacy of our company; that of uplifting the lives of the Filipino farmers and making the Philippines self sufficient in rice. We work together as a TEAM: T-ogether, E-ach one, A-chieves, M-ore. I am motivated and inspired to go to work knowing that I have people working with me, who share and support the same values and beliefs that I have.
Top tip for your Hospitality colleagues:
To quote my uncle, Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, “The greatest risk of an entrepreneur is not to take risks at all.” But take note that these are calculated risks; we cannot achieve something great, if we are not willing to take the leap.
Your Activities:
We do feeding programs and donate rice, to different communities, through our annual Rice Bucket Challenge. We serve brown rice Champorado and educate people about the benefits of brown rice; how they can cook it differently aside from just serving it plain. The rice we donate is also brown rice.
We also participate in donating rice to different foundations fighting malnutrition, like GMA Kapuso and Bantay Bata.
In 2016, we launched a Balik Biyaya “Bigas Mo, Tulong Mo” program wherein, for every pack of Dona Maria and Willy Farms rice bought, we will donate 20% of it to the farmers in Mindanao.
Our latest activity was on 15 January 2020; feeding 10,000 evacuees in Bauan and Bolbok, Batangas brown rice champorado. Our company also donated 10,000 kg of brown rice to them, through the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FFCCCII).
Inspirations:
Being in the Agriculture Sector, I have the opportunity to travel. I get to see the rice fields and farm areas across our country, and meet our Filipino farmers from different regions. The hardworking farmers and the resiliency of our countrymen has always been visible. In the midst of the various challenges coming their way, our farmers remain steadfast and committed to delivering food to our table. Every day, we get to read and know about “unsung heroes”; ordinary people, who try to help their own fellowmen start their lives all over again. Its the “Bayanihan”spirit in every Filipino that inspires me and drives me more to help in the best possible way that I can.
What’s in your Future?
Our advocacy is to help uplift the lives of our Filipino farmers. The technology that we offer, and the support extended to them, will be magnified in order to reach each and every farmer in our country.
The hardworking, industrious and persistent farmers are who compel me to help even more. With this in mind, I am inspired to fully support our farmers reach their dreams; of providing a better life for their families and a better hope for our country.
