BAGUIO CITY — For four students at Benguet State University (BSU), a mutual craving for a cold snack evolved into a mission to revitalize the local dairy industry.
Christian Jade Bullod, Nelson Camboli, Chris Jefferies Dilan and Jeric Taripe are the founders of M.R. Yogheart, a yogurt drink brand that is proving that profit and philanthropy can coexist in a single bottle.
Operating under the tagline “Your Yogurt with a Heart,” the team is part of a rising wave of Gen Z “student-preneurs” turning academic requirements into viable market competitors.
The timing of M.R. Yogheart’s entry into the market aligns with a significant shift in Philippine consumer behavior.
Post-pandemic, the local beverage industry has seen a move away from high-sugar soft drinks toward functional beverages.
Yogurt — once a niche health food — has entered the mainstream as a “guilt-free” indulgence.
In the Philippines, the demand for probiotics and gut-friendly snacks has grown at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 7 percent over the last three years.
By pivoting from traditional yogurt ice cream to a portable drink format, the BSU team is tapping into the “on-the-go” lifestyle of the city’s massive student population.
The success of M.R. Yogheart highlights the strength of the Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) strand, and specialized entrepreneurship programs in the Philippine educational system.
Under the K-12 curriculum and Commission on Higher Education-mandated entrepreneurship degrees, students are no longer just studying balance sheets; they are required to launch “business simulations” that face actual market pressures.
However, the transition from classroom theory to the pavement of Bonifacio Street was not without its hurdles.
“One challenge was internal — questioning if we had the capability to make this successful,” said Jeric Taripe. “There was doubt and fear. You worry about whether the target market will actually accept the product.”
What sets M.R. Yogheart apart from commercial, mass-produced alternatives is its commitment to the Cordilleran “terroir.”
The group bypasses imported milk solids in favor of fresh milk sourced directly from the dairy farm at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center.
“One goal of M.R. Yogheart is to support local production,” Taripe explained. “We realized, why should we not support our own? We found out we have a local dairy farm right here, so we took the leap.”
By sourcing locally, the students reduce their carbon footprint and ensure a higher nutrient profile for their drinks, while providing a steady revenue stream for government-backed breeding centers.
Branding
The “heart” in their branding refers to their social mission. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold at their stall near the University Belt is donated to various charitable organizations.
For Taripe, the venture is a message to his fellow youth.
“Take the risk. We have to step out of our comfort zones. It is OK to struggle and be uncomfortable, as long as we remain wise in the decisions we take.”
Currently located along Bonifacio Street, M.R. Yogheart stands as a model for how the next generation of Filipinos is reimagining the “probiotiko” culture — one local bottle at a time.
The group is also among the participants of the 2026 Young Farmers Challenge Start-up Competition in the region, an initiative that highlights promising agri-based enterprises of young entrepreneurs.
How the ABM strand redefined K-12 promise
When the Philippines transitioned to the K-12 curriculum in 2012, the shift was met with a mixture of skepticism and logistical hurdles.
However, a decade later, the Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) strand has emerged as the curriculum’s most tangible “silver lining.”
By bridging the gap between classroom theory and the cutthroat reality of the marketplace, ABM has transformed senior high school from a mere academic requirement into an incubator for the next generation of Filipino “technopreneurs” and corporate leaders.
The brilliance of the ABM strand lies in its departure from traditional, lecture-heavy education. The curriculum is built on the foundation of “Business Simulation,” where students are not just taught about supply chains — they are required to build them.
Student-led ventures like M.R. Yogheart are the direct result of this shift.
These students are introduced to specialized subjects such as Applied Economics, Business Ethics and Fundamentals of Accountancy, which provide the “hard skills” necessary to navigate the business landscape.
One of the primary criticisms of the old 10-year system was the “job-skills mismatch,” where graduates lacked the practical knowledge required by the industry.
The ABM strand addresses this through mandatory work immersion.
By placing students in actual accounting firms, retail offices and local government units, the curriculum ensures that 18-year-olds are already familiar with the software, professional ethics and administrative workflows that were previously only taught at the college level.
For the Philippine economy, which is 99 percent comprised of micro, small and medium enterprises, this influx of business-literate youth is a vital injection of energy.
ABM graduates enter the workforce or higher education already knowing how to read a balance sheet, conduct market research and — crucially — calculate the risks of a startup.
Beyond the technical skills, the ABM strand’s greatest contribution is the cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset.
In a culture where the traditional goal was often to become an employee, the ABM curriculum encourages students to become employers.
It empowers youth to see social problems as business opportunities. Whether it is sourcing milk from local dairy farms to support farmers or creating digital investment portals for the diaspora, ABM students are taught that profit is most sustainable when it serves a community purpose.
While the K-12 transition faced significant growing pains, the ABM strand has proven to be a resounding success in vocational and professional preparation.
It has democratized business education, providing students from all walks of life with the tools to innovate.
As these young graduates transition into the professional world, they carry with them more than just a diploma; they carry the wit, wisdom and bravery to reshape the Philippine economy from the ground up.