Terton Craft and Arts

About Terton Craft and Arts

Thirty-six years ago was the birth of a pioneering brand in Philippine Darts industry – Terton Craft. “Terton” is a name concocted from the combination of the spouses Andy and Cora’s surnames – MERCADO and TOLENTINO. Letters were shuffled and combined until this name became the 1st proudly Philippine manufacturing brand that introduced the sport to Pinoy household and local pubs.

Then 18-year-old Ambrocio Ruiz Mercado, or Andy as he was fondly called, tried his luck in Manila after realizing that he has no means to support his education due to financial hardships. It was during his 1st-year college at the College of Agricultural Engineering in his native town Roxas, Isabela when he decided to go to Manila.

In 1968, or two years after his arrival in Manila, Andy considered himself lucky when he was hired as a waiter in what was then one of the city’s posh restaurants – the Alta Vista along Roxas Boulevard. For him, it was a world away from where he first worked as a janitor, cook, and dishwasher in restaurants along Rizal Avenue. With a “waiter’s course” training from the said hotel, he then had other jobs as a waiter until he landed at Magallanes Pub.

“Doon ako nagkaroon ng first exposure to darts”, Andy recalls. “Americans from Clark Air Base and some dart players from Angeles City often come to the pub to play darts. I became interested in the game kaya, I started to play during my off-hours.” Later, he was made in-charge of the game aside from his regular job as a waiter.

Soon, the imported dartboards became worn out from constant play and there was difficulty in procuring new sets. “Doon ko naisip na gawin dito ang dartboards,” Andy said.

Seizing the opportunity, he single-handedly dismantled an old dartboard and after several trial-and-error attempts, he finally produced a prototype made of Filipino materials. That was in 1976.

He showed it to Minister Arturo Tanco, a regular dart player at the Pub, who said, “Okay ito, have it patented as an innovation.”

Andy then resigned from the pub and with as much patience and determination, manufactured and sold his dartboard one by one to the customers he met at the Magallanes Pub. Then he started to travel to Angeles City where his new product was enthusiastically accepted.

“Those were very hard and trying times,” he reminisces, “but then I’m no stranger to hard work.”

With the game of darts gaining more popularity since 1978, Andy with his supportive wife Cora has now embarked a 36-year-old journey gaining Terton Craft friends from all over the country supporting and promoting the game of darts to every Filipino dart enthusiast. “I know our products can compete with the foreign brands,” Andy said.

“Thanks to darts, bigay ito ng Diyos sa akin at sa aking pamilya. At ako ay sumasampalataya sa Kaniya”, he said. “Through these machines that now create local dart pins and dartboards, these were the same machines that provided good education for our four daughters – Aileen, Suzette, Rochelle, and Tes. All of them graduated in reputable schools and two are now residing in the US.” Most of our employees now have also been with us since the time we started.

From dartboard production, Terton Craft has expanded its lines that include manufacturing of barrels, cabinets, scoreboards, and selling of various dart accessories. Terton Craft will continue it’s journey for another 36 years and beyond for as long as there are Filipino dart enthusiasts. A name that represents Filipino ingenuity, a pioneer brand, and Proudly Tatak Pinoy!

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