“Kala ko talaga salad siya.”
Dennison Chiong of Cagayan de Oro said it like a joke, but it was the start of something practical. He kept hearing the same word at work, “eSALAD”, until curiosity turned into a life-changing financial help.
He was 24, working full-time in finance, building a home-based computer parts trading business on the side, and trying to keep an MBA on track. The problem was never ambition. The problem was cash flow.
Paycheck On Time, Expenses On Their Own Schedule
Chiong’s days look orderly on paper. He works at Spruce where his role has moved with him as he learned the ropes.
“In my first 6 months, I was the AP non-trade officer, then I became the AP officer,” he said. “And starting last year, I was the AR officer, then transitioned to the Accounts Receivable Department.”
He graduated in 2022 with a degree in Management Accounting and is currently thriving in his second job.
“Di ako nag-last masyado sa first job ko. It was only around 3 months lang. Then my current job, my second one, tumagal na. Almost 2 years na ako rito,” he said.
And despite the demands of his work, his focus stays simple. Do well at work, finish graduate school, keep his small business moving.
MBA Bills Don’t Wait for Payday
Chiong took up an MBA for a straightforward reason.
“It was basically for expanding my current knowledge, and also for additional credentials in the future in pursuing my career,” he said.
He started graduate school around August last year. He is now in his second year and expects to finish next year.
“Currently, I'm in my second year na, and will be graduating by next year,” he said.
Then the realization landed quickly. Tuition is only one part of the cost.
“Kapag Masters, alam naman siguro ng karamihan na medyo malaki talaga ‘yung kailangan na tuition,” he said. “Aside from tuition, may additional projects. Even the seminars, personal expense din ‘yun.”
He could plan for it. He just could not always make it land neatly on payday. That’s when he discovered eSALAD.
The “Salad” People Kept Talking About
eSALAD, SB Finance’s employee salary advanced loan, didn’t enter his life through an ad. It showed up the way office information usually does, through repetition.
“So, ‘yung eSALAD ko, nalaman ko between sa mga colleagues ko,” he said. “They were often speaking regarding sa eSALAD.”
At first, he genuinely had no idea what it was.
“At first, hindi ko talaga alam kung ano,” he said. “Kala ko talaga salad talaga siya.”
He asked around. He listened. Then he started thinking like he always does.
No Signature Until the Numbers Made Sense
What made Chiong take the idea seriously was not hype. It was the rate.
“Compared to other loaning services, talagang mababa ‘yung interest,” he said.
He didn’t stop there. He did his own computation. He also learned he needed to be eligible first.
“Talagang almost half ‘yung interest rates niya compared to other loaning companies,” he said. “So, I asked when kaya ako makakapag-apply and when can I be eligible,” he said. “They said around after one (1) year of employment.”
When the offer came through, it came simply through a text message.
“I got the loan offer through a text message and may binigay na loanable amount,” he said.
By then, he already decided to take advantage of eSALAD.
A Salary Loan Used Like a Tool, Not a Treat
Chiong didn’t use the loan to upgrade his lifestyle. He used it to keep two priorities steady, school and a small home business.
“’Yung pinag-gamitan ko is for school and for additional capital sa business ko,” he said. “Overall, nakatulong talaga siya sa akin.”
The business is small and local. It runs from home.
“Currently, I'm running a very small computer trading na business,” he said. “Basically, I buy, sell, and trade computer parts. And currently, local lang. Home-based lang siya.”
eSALAD provided him with the capital he needed. More capital meant more stock. More stock meant less waiting for the profit to come.
“Nakatulong din siya for additional capital to buy more stocks,” he said. “So overall, tumaas ‘yung trajectory ng business. Lumawak din ‘yung overall stocks ko.”
Paying Upfront to Pay Less
One of his smartest moves was not flashy. It was practical.
He also used part of the eSALAD loan to pay tuition in full instead of dragging it out in installments because paying in full came with a small discount.
“Kasi kapag Masters, medyo malaki ang tuition,” he said. “Kapag malaki ‘yung ibabayad mo, may small na discount. Kaya ayun, instead na bayaran ko ng installments, I paid in full para may discount ako sa tuition ko,” he added. “With eSALAD, may additional ako na napagkuhanan ng pera aside sa salary ko.”
Less Hassle, More Breathing Room
However, paying the tuition is not the end of it. Graduate school comes with deadlines. Work comes with responsibilities. The last thing he wanted was a process that felt like another subject to pass.
So, the convenience mattered not as a perk, but as relief.
“Very convenient talaga,” he said. “Comparing eSALAD to other loaning services, lesser ang requirements at mas less hassle siya for the person.”
Borrowing Without Pretending It’s Free Money
However, Chiong doesn’t romanticize debt. He treats it like a tool that only works if you stay disciplined.
“For employees na gusto mag-business pero walang pang-capital or good opportunity, eSALAD could be the answer,” he said. “Kung may tubo naman talaga ‘yung business nyo, mababayaran mo talaga ‘yung interest rates niya through the profit you gain from the business.”
He is clear that borrowing only makes sense when it has a purpose and a plan behind it.
“Overall, thankful ako,” he said, “kasi nakatulong talaga siya sa akin both in my business and in my studies.”
Getting eSALAD at SB Finance
Chiong’s story shows what a salary-based loan can look like when it’s used with intention—as a bridge between a steady paycheck and real-life expenses that do not wait.
eSALAD is designed for employed individuals who need accessible funds for practical needs, like education costs or short-term capital, without the heavy friction people often associate with borrowing.
For SB Finance, stories like Chiong’s reflect a simple idea. Credit works best when it supports discipline, not impulse, so people can keep moving forward without breaking what they already built.
In the end, it stops being a loan story and becomes a story about Chiong, an entrepreneur charting his path through thoughtful decisions, disciplined planning, and the right financial tools supporting him at every step.