In celebration of National Women’s Month, the community shines a spotlight on Ms. Ruby Ann F. Bello, a visionary entrepreneur whose passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and service has transformed a small business into a growing enterprise in Roxas City, Capiz.
In 2014, Ms. Bello founded Big City Designs & Prints as a photocopying service catering to state universities, government agencies, and private individuals. Driven by a dream of expansion as the demands grew, Ms. Bello formally registered the business in 2015 with the firm expanding its services to printing polo shirts and t-shirts, tarpaulin, and signage production.
As Big City gained more clients, the demand for customized apparel increased, particularly embroidered polo shirts. However, keeping up with larger orders while maintaining product quality became challenging, and customers began requesting mass-produced customized shirts with embroidery, prompting Ms. Bello to upgrade the firm’s capabilities.
Through fellow entrepreneurs, Ms. Bello learned about the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program Innovation-enabling Fund (SETUP iFund) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Ms. Bello applied for assistance and secured two rounds of SETUP iFund support in 2018 and 2022. Through this assistance, Big City was able to enhance its operations, significantly improving productivity, product quality, and efficiency. These upgrades allowed the company to expand its market, meet growing demand, develop new products, and transition from outsourcing to producing its own garments in-house.
Beyond business success, Big City’s commitment to innovation and social responsibility has gained wide recognition. In 2024, the company was named Regional Winner of the iReady Award in Region VI and was nominated at the national level of the DOST National iReady Award. Beyond DOST, Big City has been recognized by other public and private agencies: DepEd Capiz awarded the company a plaque of appreciation for its partnership in various programs and activities, while DepEd Roxas City acknowledged its support for initiatives advancing inclusive and quality education. DepEd Region VI recognized Big City as an education partner, contributing to programs such as Brigada Eskwela.
The company actively engages in community-oriented projects that promote empowerment and social development. Big City has joined tax campaigns in collaboration with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), participates in bloodletting activities, supports local athletes, and champions Women’s Month initiatives organized by the Capiz Provincial Office and other non-profit organizations. Through these efforts, Ms. Bello and Big City demonstrate a steadfast commitment to giving back to the community while fostering empowerment and engagement.
From a humble photocopying shop to a technology-driven enterprise, Ms. Bello’s journey highlights the power of perseverance, innovation, and partnership. As a mother, entrepreneur, daughter, and innovator, she proves that women can excel in anything. Her story serves as an inspiration to aspiring women entrepreneurs, showing that even the biggest dreams can begin with the smallest steps. (MACGregorios/DOST Capiz)
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 (𝘋𝘖𝘚𝘛) 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘋𝘖𝘚𝘛 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘚&𝘛 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵—𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰.
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