![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cardmri.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/A-Blossoming-Spirit-to-Succeed.png\")
<\/p>\nPosted on June 6, 2025
\nWriten by: Edrian B. Banania<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Arlene B. Borres, 53, a proud CARD SME Bank client and entrepreneur from Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, shows\u00a0 that with faith and perseverance, life blooms at the right time despite the toughest odds. <\/em><\/p>\n In the quiet, flower-filled hills of Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, the story of Arlene Borres begins. Born the eldest\u00a0 of nine children in a farming family, the rows of vegetables, the scent of cut blooms, and the responsibility of\u00a0 helping her parents make ends meet shaped Arlene\u2019s childhood. At just five years old, Arlene was already selling\u00a0 flower bouquets after school, an early sign of the determination and business mindset that would one day\u00a0 transform her life.<\/p>\n “I had to grow up quickly,” Arelene says. \u201cMy parents worked hard, and I knew I had to help. Even as a child, I\u00a0 wanted to do something,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Her early efforts were the seeds of a future destined to flourish despite all challenges. With no guarantee of\u00a0 finishing school, Arlene\u2019s story could have easily ended in struggle. But her dedication caught the attention of\u00a0 generous souls who helped her complete high school.<\/p>\n With big dreams and the support of her family, she worked hard and eventually earned a technical-vocational\u00a0 college certificate, a milestone made possible by her determination and perseverance.<\/p>\n Rooted in Resilience <\/strong><\/p>\n When Arlene decided to turn her passion into a formal business, she had just PHP 750, determination, and years\u00a0 of experience bundled into every bouquet. She started small. She visits flower farms, selects fresh blooms, and\u00a0 crafts arrangements with care and precision.<\/p>\n The road was far from easy. Arlene faced tight competition, natural calamities, and the constant challenge of\u00a0 limited capital. But she never allowed those hardships to uproot her dreams.<\/p>\n \u201cGrowing up in poverty, I never allowed it to stop me from pursuing a better life,\u201d Arlene shares. \u201cMy faith in\u00a0 God gave me the strength and determination to move forward and chase the life I have always dreamed of for\u00a0 myself and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n With faith and hard work, Arlene’s business began to blossom. An important moment came when she became\u00a0 a client of CARD SME Bank, a thrift bank under CARD MRI. Starting with a modest loan of PHP 5,000, her credit\u00a0 line eventually grew to PHP 100,000, providing essential capital to support her growing business and maintain a\u00a0 steady inventory for her expanding customer base.<\/p>\n \u201cFor more than 10 years of being a client of CARD SME Bank, I have found a reliable partner that has consistently\u00a0 provided financial assistance whenever I needed it. They have always supported me and other local\u00a0 entrepreneurs, empowering us to achieve great things and continue being a source of inspiration to many. With\u00a0 their support, I have learned that no dream is too big when you have the right people behind you,\u201d Arlene said.<\/p>\n Arlene\u2019s journey is not just one of personal success, but it\u2019s one of community impact. She actively supports\u00a0 local flower farmers in Busay, ensuring that her business not only thrives but also uplifts those around her.<\/p>\n \u201cMy heart and passion truly lie in this business. Through it, I can give back by supporting local floral growers and\u00a0 helping keep our community blooming,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Blooms of Dedication <\/strong><\/p>\n Today, Arlene caters to clients from Manila, Negros Oriental, Iloilo, Bohol, and across Cebu. She now owns a\u00a0 comfortable home and two vehicles. Her eldest child has earned a degree in Secondary Education. True to her\u00a0 generous nature, she also financed two years of college for her nephew, who pursued engineering.<\/p>\n Arlene\u2019s floral offerings now include both local and select imported flowers, but her advocacy remains rooted in\u00a0 championing local farmers. Her loyal suppliers in Malubog and Busay continue to play an important role in her operations. It\u00a0 mirrors the mutual respect and community spirit she nurtures.<\/p>\n Her story is not just about business, but a symbol of perseverance, faith, and the strength of women who rise\u00a0 above life\u2019s hardships.<\/p>\n \u201cThe journey to success is never easy. Some ups and downs test our patience, dedication, and faith. But like a\u00a0 flower, we bloom at the right time and in the right place, despite the odds,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Posted on June 6, 2025 Writen by: Edrian B. Banania Arlene B. Borres, 53, a proud CARD SME Bank client and entrepreneur from Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, shows\u00a0 that with faith and perseverance, life blooms at the right time despite the toughest odds. In the quiet, flower-filled hills of Barangay Malubog, Cebu City, the story […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-client-success-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2344"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2351,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344\/revisions\/2351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardsmebankph.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}