For more than a decade, husband-and-wife team Florencio and Virginia “Lola Gie” dela Cruz — now in their senior years — have been crafting healthy, farm-based products from their home in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro.

What began as a simple hobby has blossomed into a thriving backyard enterprise, where every product reflects their hands-on dedication and attention to detail. Carefully produced through a mix of manual methods and modern technology, their goods are made from raw materials — mainly calamansi — sourced directly from their own farm.

During a recent trade fair at the provincial capital in Calapan, Lola Gie shared that their small venture started 12 years ago, soon after their children had all completed their education. 

From a modest calamansi farm, the couple has since built a growing food processing business under the name Virginia Camo Dela Cruz (VCDC) Farm, offering an array of natural products. These include calamansi concentrate (plain and with ginger), ginger and turmeric brews, and ginger-turmeric candy — hailed by many customers as an effective remedy for cough. Other offerings include Sana Oil for aches and pains, as well as bottles of raw wild honey.

Through the years, the couple has received strong support from the local and provincial governments and from national agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Science and Technology (DoST). With their guidance, VCDC Farm has found its niche in the agri-based food sector and has become a regular participant in trade fairs both within and beyond the province.

The DoST-Mimaropa aptly describes their products as “crafted with care” and “rooted in tradition,” capturing the couple’s philosophy of bringing “the heart of nature” to every bottle, jar and pack that leaves their
humble farm.