El Patron: The Hustle That Never Stopped
Forty cargo pants, a family setback, a bad supplier and loans that never came. The story of how Ronnel Durias kept going until Roxas City got a taste of El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet.
In Hiligaynon, tanyag means to offer, to put forward, to proudly show. At Tanyag Panay, that's what we want to do for the local businesses that make our island feel like home: share their stories so more people get to know them.
This time, we're featuring someone many in Roxas City already know through his food, his posts and his deliveries. Ronnel Durias is the young entrepreneur behind El Patron, a brand that started as a clothing line and grew into El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet.
We had the chance to chat with Ronnel about how it all began. His story isn't one of overnight success. It's one of setbacks, one after another, and a person who simply refused to stop.
It Started With an Idea and Very Little Capital
El Patron began in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, as a clothing merch brand Ronnel built with his partner, Mir Sae. They had the idea, but not the capital.
So Ronnel started saving. With help from his cousin in Manila, Kuya Adrianne, he resold legit shoes sourced from ukay. It still wasn't enough, so Mir Sae added to the capital from the sales of her own artworks. Together, they made the plan happen.
Their first batch of 40 cargo pants arrived, but there was no budget for a photoshoot. Their friends stepped in, and together they did the shoot themselves. The 40 pieces sold out in just a few weeks.
"Kaya ganadong-ganado kami na mag-restock."
"That's why we were so fired up to restock."
When Everything Went Wrong
Then life happened. Ronnel's parents fell victim to an investment scam, the same one that hit many families in Roxas. They needed help, so they borrowed the earnings from the cargo pants.
El Patron went quiet for months, with no new release.
When Ronnel finally ordered the next production of cargo pants, the supplier let him down. The fabric was poor, many pieces were damaged, and the supplier simply stopped replying.
"Tinanggap ko na lang na wala na yung pera, bahala na ang karma sa kanya (sa supplier). Move on, tsaka plano ulit kung ano ang next step."
"I just accepted that the money was gone and left the supplier to karma. I moved on and started planning the next step."
It got to the point where he was desperate. He tried borrowing from informal lenders, "bombay" as we call them here, and from lending companies. None of them came through.
A Hustler Since High School
Selling was nothing new to Ronnel. Back in high school, he was already posting products online. He started a tapsilog business with his friends and sold printed T-shirts from Cebu with no capital at all. His system was simple: payment first, then pre-order.
"Mahilig ako humanap ng source sa Facebook, kahit anong pwedeng ibenta."
"I've always loved finding sources on Facebook, anything I could sell."
He took up Entrepreneurship in college and graduated with his group winning Best in Thesis for their business implementation. Ronnel was the one in charge of deliveries and posting on social media and Marketplace.
College wasn't easy for him. At one point, he told his mother he wanted to stop studying, and he used to joke that his four years might turn into five. He made it through with the help of his classmates, and he still carries that gratitude with him.
"Kaya sobrang laki ng utang na loob ko sa mga kaklase ko na tumulong sa akin."
"That's why I owe so much to the classmates who helped me."
El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet
In 2022, Ronnel met the person who would test how far he was willing to take a risk: Wyeth Nobleza, the maker of the chicharon.
"Siya ang naging source ko ng chicharon. Naging matalik na kaibigan, mentor at kuya."
"He became my source for chicharon, and then a close friend, a mentor and a big brother."
His first order was 60 packs, and he didn't even have the full capital for it. He found a way anyway, with no guarantee it would sell. He made a page, posted online and offered it to everyone he knew. Mir Sae's motorbike became their delivery ride.
"Di ko tinigilan mang-takam sa social media, mag-post sa Marketplace, at mag-alok sa mga kakilala."
"I never stopped making people crave it on social media, posting on Marketplace and offering it to people I knew."
It worked. Soon he was selling 300 to 500 packs within a week. Word spread, and Roxas City found out there was a delicious Chicharon Ala Bagnet right here in Capiz.
Today, Ronnel and Wyeth are business partners. Ronnel handles the pages and inquiries, and he recently spent a month with Wyeth to learn more about Wyeth's moves and business strategies. El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet is now in its fourth year.
Still Learning, Still Building
Around 2023 or 2024, Ronnel opened El Patron Chicken Station. It brought in decent income, but he couldn't give it the focus it needed. He's honest about it, and he keeps reflecting on what he would do differently so he can bring it back stronger.
What's next for El Patron? Ronnel hopes to bring back both the clothing line and El Patron Chicken Station.
And keep an eye on El Patron's page, because something new is already cooking. Here's a little teaser: it's homemade, and it's siomai. 馃 Ronnel plans to announce it soon.
"Di pa ako successful, pero grateful ako sa mga challenges na palagi akong sinusubok para maging mas matibay at maayos ang lahat ng kakulangan ko bilang isang entrepreneur."
"I'm not successful yet, but I'm grateful for the challenges that keep testing me, so I can become stronger and fix everything I still lack as an entrepreneur."
Ronnel's Advice for Anyone Starting a Business
We asked Ronnel what he would tell people who want to start a business. His answer is short and honest, just like his story.
Starting is the hardest part. You'll lose sleep thinking of ways to make it work. But once you begin, the journey itself becomes your teacher.
"Pinakamahirap ang magsimula. Hindi ka makakatulog kakaisip ng mga paraan. Pero pag nasimulan mo na, doon ka na mismo sa journey matututo."
"The hardest part is to begin. You won't sleep thinking of ways. But once you've started, you'll learn along the journey itself."
It's not about the money at first.
"Walang madali. Hindi pera ang kinukuha kundi experience, lessons."
"Nothing is easy. What you gain isn't money, but experience and lessons."
Don't be lazy or shy about selling.
"Wag tamarin at mahiya mag-alok. Isigaw ang produkto online."
"Don't be lazy or shy to offer. Shout your product online."
And lastly, Ronnel says there's one word every starter needs to know.
"Consistency."
A Word of Thanks From Ronnel
Ronnel never tells his story without thanking the people who helped him along the way.
To his partner, Mir Sae, who built El Patron with him, for her unending support and her wonderful artworks.
To his cousin, Kuya Adrianne, who has been there since day one.
To his friends, who believed in him.
To his classmates, who helped him get through school, and eventually, life.
To Wyeth Nobleza, his chicharon source who became a close friend, mentor, big brother and now business partner.
And to every customer who has supported El Patron since 2022, many of whom became regulars and friends.
"Kayo ang dahilan kung bakit hanggang ngayon nakatayo pa rin tayo."
"You are the reason we're still standing today."
From Tanyag Panay to El Patron
Ronnel's story stayed with us long after our chat. Before we close, here's a letter from us to him.
Ronnel,
Chicharon doesn't become chicharon the easy way. It gets cut, boiled, dried under the sun, then dropped into hot oil. And it's only in that heat that it finally pops: lighter, crispier, and better than it ever was before.
Your story taught us the same thing. A scam that hit your family, a supplier who disappeared with your money, loans that never came, months with nothing to release. Any one of those could have been the end. But every time the heat came, you popped.
The lesson we're taking with us is patience. Pressure turns coal into diamonds. Heat turns pork skin into chicharon. And challenges turn a person into someone great, like the amazing entrepreneur you are today. None of it happens overnight. It takes time, it takes heat, and it takes someone willing to stay in it long enough to come out better.
Salamat, Ronnel, for reminding us that the hustle itself is already a success story. Keep popping. 馃敟
As a thank-you for his time and for letting us share his story, we made something for Ronnel and the El Patron team: two animated versions of their logo, inspired by the chicharon that started it all.
Logo animations by Tanyag Panay for El Patron.
Why We're Proud to Share This Story
At Tanyag Panay, we believe Panay has so much to offer, and it starts with people like Ronnel. Every setback in his story could have been the end of it. Instead, each one became a lesson, and El Patron kept going.
That's the kind of story that deserves to be seen.
Enjoy El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet on its own, with rice and sawsawan, or on top of your pancit, monggo soup and many more.
Get Your El Patron Chicharon Ala Bagnet
For pick-up: Hughes Street, beside 9AM Money Changer, inside Miller's Hair and Body Salon, Roxas City, Capiz
For orders: 0905 248 0957 / 0991 620 0210
Facebook: El Patron FOOD Supply
All photos courtesy of Ronnel Durias, El Patron.
Do you know a local business on Panay with a story worth sharing? Message us at Tanyag Panay. We'd love to feature them next.
