11 University of Pangasinan staff open Yummy Tokyo through Pag-IBIG BFF

Eleven members of staff at the University of Pangasinan have joined forces to enter the food business through the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Barkada Franchise Financing (BFF) programme in the Philippines. They opened Yummy Tokyo UPang Ramen Food House in Dagupan City on 29 October 2026 to earn additional income and create jobs, including opportunities for students to cover their daily expenses.

Pooling loans to buy a franchise

According to a Philippine Information Agency report dated 30 October, BFF allows members to borrow against their accumulated contributions. Friends, relatives or colleagues can pool their loans to buy a franchise.

Partner franchisors also offer discounts to make starting a business more affordable. In the case of Yummy Tokyo in Dagupan, the university staff pooled their resources to establish the restaurant.

Jacqueline Constantino, vice-president for the Luzon Group within the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Member Services Operations Group, explained that BFF is based on a loan that can be used for various needs. The programme channels members’ borrowing capacity towards setting up a business.

The programme also helps members identify businesses suited to their community’s needs. This distinction matters: the aim is not simply to secure capital, but to put it into a business with a clearly identified customer base.

Borrowing based on members’ savings

Under the programme described in the report, members need at least 12 months of savings contributions to qualify. They can borrow up to 90 per cent of their savings.

The amount available to each member therefore depends on how much they have saved. Pooling a group’s loans provides a way to raise the funds needed for a franchise. This is not a grant or free start-up capital: the money invested in the business is borrowed.

Anyone considering this approach should distinguish between the outlet’s projected earnings and each participant’s repayment obligations when planning. Having several partners is no substitute for a clear agreement on contributions, responsibilities and financial management.

Constantino also said that 11 BFF businesses had already been established in the Ilocos Region, including two in Pangasinan. These include food franchises and other businesses serving local needs.

Work for a student approaching graduation

One student benefiting from the opportunity to work at Yummy Tokyo is Kyle Baniqued from San Carlos City. He is a fourth-year engineering student and a Hawak Kamay scholarship recipient at the University of Pangasinan.

Baniqued works part-time to help cover his daily expenses. He is also saving for an exam preparation course as he approaches graduation and his professional licensing examination.

His experience illustrates the new restaurant’s purpose: alongside providing extra income for the university staff, it creates an opportunity for a student balancing academic and financial commitments.

At the opening, lawyer Marcial Pimentel Jr., deputy chief executive officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Member Services Cluster, highlighted the relationship between the fund, the franchisor, the owners and the workers. He said the benefits extend beyond a single business when all these connected participants gain from it.

Lessons for the franchise community

The Dagupan opening demonstrates one route into franchising: pooling borrowing capacity rather than relying on one person to provide all the capital. At the same time, choosing a business that meets local demand remains essential.

For colleagues considering a similar venture, practical first steps include checking eligibility, calculating affordable repayments and clarifying responsibilities. Before pooling loans, agree on how the outlet will be run and how its costs will be covered.