Content Calendar
Apr 23 – May 10, 2026

We're building SariKo with people who understand both worlds. Today, we're proud to welcome Rico Mariano and Dr. Beth Candol to the SariKo Advisory Board. Rico brings [his expertise] — the kind of operator insight that turns vision into systems. Dr. Beth brings [her lens] — deep roots in the Filipino community and the frameworks to scale impact within it. SariKo exists to connect the Filipino diaspora with the artisan sellers and micro-brands that carry real Filipino culture. That mission requires advisors who don't just believe in it — but who live it. We're honored to have them both. More on each of them this week — stay tuned. 🇵🇭

I didn't have to convince Rico Mariano why SariKo matters. He already knew. Rico brings [X years of experience in / deep expertise in] to the SariKo board. He's seen firsthand what happens when Filipino talent and Filipino products get the right platform — and what's lost when they don't. What Rico unlocks for us: [specific value — e.g. commerce infrastructure / investor networks / diaspora community access]. Having advisors who believe in the mission before you pitch them is a different kind of partnership. That's what we have with Rico. Welcome to the SariKo family. 🙏🏽 @Rico Mariano

Dr. Beth Candol has spent her career at the intersection of Filipino communities and systemic change. That's exactly where SariKo lives. Dr. Beth brings [her specific background — e.g. academic / health / policy / community organizing] to our advisory board. Her work on [specific area] has shaped how [relevant outcome]. And now she's helping shape how SariKo serves the diaspora. What she unlocks for us: [specific value — e.g. community trust / institutional access / research-backed strategy]. We're building something that needs to be right — not just fast. Dr. Beth helps us stay anchored to that. Welcome, Dr. Beth. 🇵🇭 @Dr. Beth Candol

$40 billion leaves Filipino families every year. Almost none of it goes back to Filipino makers. Here's what the data actually shows: → 2.19 million active OFWs abroad (PSA 2024) → 10.8 million+ total Filipino diaspora worldwide (DFA) → ~$40B USD in annual remittances — one of the highest globally → Most of it goes to: bills, tuition, groceries The diaspora is one of the most economically active communities in the world. They are buying things — every day — from wherever they live. The question is: why aren't more of those purchases going back to Filipino businesses? Tomorrow, I'll share what we're building to change this.

I've spent 30 years building businesses across Southeast Asia. SariKo is the one I wish existed when I started. I was born in Cebu. I've lived and worked in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia — watched Filipino talent move across borders to find opportunity, watched Filipino products stay behind. There's something wrong with that picture. The Filipino diaspora is one of the most connected, most loyal communities in the world. They send money home. They miss home. They carry home with them wherever they go. But the commerce infrastructure to connect them back to Filipino makers — real ones, artisan ones, the ones who still make things the old way — barely exists. That's what SariKo is. Not a marketplace. A bridge. We go live very soon. I'll share the link here first — follow so you don't miss it. 🇵🇭

Meet Teresa Cantuba. She's been cooking Lutong Bahay dishes for years — the kind of food that makes you feel like you're home, even when you're not. Now her adobo can reach someone's lola in Los Angeles. Teresa is one of SariKo's founding sellers. She's not a brand. She's a maker. She cooks in her kitchen, packs with her hands, and puts a piece of home in every order. That's what SariKo is about. You can order from Teresa right now at sariko.store. And when you do, every peso of that sale goes to her. @Teresa Cantuba 🙏🏽

A micro-brand isn't a small brand. It's a brand that hasn't had the right shelf yet. SariKo sellers aren't on Lazada. They're not on Shopee. They're not on Amazon. They're in Cebu making handwoven bags. They're in Davao bottling spice blends. They're in Pampanga curing meats the way their lola taught them. They have the craft. They have the product. What they didn't have was a way to reach the 10.8 million Filipinos living abroad who would gladly buy from them. That's what SariKo gives them. Know a Filipino maker who should be on SariKo? Tag them below — or send them to sariko.store

She sends money home every month. But what she really wants to send is herself. Maria is 38. She works in Dubai. She video calls her kids every Sunday. She keeps a jar of Filipino vinegar in her apartment that she's been rationing for six months because she doesn't know when she'll find another one. She's not a statistic. She's 10.8 million people. The Filipino diaspora doesn't just miss the Philippines. They carry it with them — in their kitchens, in their routines, in the things they refuse to let go of. SariKo was built for Maria. Not to sell her something. To give her back a piece of home. If you're part of the Filipino diaspora — what's the one thing you wish you could still find from home? Tell us in the comments. We're listening. 👇

Meet [Seller Name]. [He/She] makes [product] — [one specific, vivid description of what makes it special]. Not in a factory. Not at scale. By hand, with [specific craft detail that makes it real]. [Seller Name] is one of SariKo's founding sellers. [His/Her] [product] is now available to the Filipino diaspora worldwide — for the first time. This is what SariKo exists for. 👉 Find [him/her] at sariko.store @[Seller Name] 🇵🇭

Building a startup looks clean on LinkedIn. Here's what the last six months actually looked like. Late nights in Ho Chi Minh City. Three companies running simultaneously. A tech stack that had to be rebuilt twice. A CTO (Tri) who joined remotely and became the backbone of everything. A team member (Kirk) cold-calling Filipino Facebook groups to find our first sellers. And four founders — Teresa, Gelo, Rina, and Alex — who said yes before we had anything to show them. We graduated from Founder Institute. We raised our first round. We built, broke, and rebuilt the platform. And now it's live. I'm not sharing this to impress you. I'm sharing it because if you're building something right now — in the Philippines, in Vietnam, in the diaspora — I want you to know what it actually takes. It's not clean. But it's worth it. What are you building? Tell me below. 👇

We're a Filipino platform. We incorporated in Delaware. Here's why that was the right call — and what it unlocks for a cross-border commerce business like SariKo. When you're building at the intersection of the Philippines, Vietnam, and the US diaspora market, structure matters. Our setup: BridgeTech Labs, Inc. (Delaware C-Corp) → Zen Tech Asia LLC (holding) → Vietnam operating entity. Why Delaware? → SAFE note compatibility for US and international investors → Clean cap table structure for pre-seed and seed rounds → Access to US banking and payment infrastructure → Recognized globally — makes investor due diligence faster The Filipino platform still lives in the community, the sellers, the buyers, and the mission. The corporate structure just makes it fundable. If you're a Filipino founder thinking about how to structure a cross-border business — I'm happy to share notes. DM me.

One week live. Here's what happened — the good, the unexpected, and what we're doing next. 📦 [X] orders placed 🛍️ [X] unique buyers 🌍 Orders shipped to [X] countries 👩‍🍳 [X] active sellers What surprised us: [one honest observation — e.g. most buyers were in [city], or the most popular product was [unexpected item]] What we're fixing: [one thing you're improving — e.g. the checkout flow, the product photography, the shipping estimate] What's next: [one milestone — e.g. 5 new sellers onboarding in week 2, or first partnership announcement] This is what building in public looks like. We're not pretending we're big. We're showing you how we get there. What's one Filipino product you've been trying to find abroad? Drop it below — it might be our next seller. 👇 sariko.store