TAGUIG CITY, July 5, 2021 — Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday introduced the “Alan’s Sari-Sari Store Community,” a nationwide program that aims to provide sari-sari store owners with capital and micro-enterprise training amid the pandemic.
As a starter, Cayetano and his wife Taguig 2nd District Rep. Ma. Laarni Cayetano distributed P3,500 in cash aid each to 25 sari-sari store owners in Baguio City — P2,500 to replenish their respective stores’ supplies and P1,000 to purchase their families’ basic needs.
“We named it ‘community’ kasi ang community po nagdadamayan (because community members help one another),” Cayetano, who is a known advocate of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) empowerment, said.
He said the “Alan’s Sari-Sari Store Community” operates under three principles, namely “puhunan, training, karunungan” (capital, training, knowledge).
“We want to assure you, ang pagbibigay ng puhunan (the provision of capital) is only one part of our partnership,” Cayetano told the beneficiaries.
“Once nawala na y’ung pandemic I’d really like to put up a credit coop para ang mga sari-sari store owners may matatakbuhan ‘pag kailangan ng kapital especially kung may opportunity na palakihin ang tindahan niyo,” he added.
(Once the pandemic is over, I’d really like to put up a credit cooperative for sari-sari store owners which they can run to for help whenever they need capital, especially when they see an opportunity to expand their business.)
The Cayetanos are also in talks with wholesale distributors in Taguig City to make wholesale prices accessible to the sari-sari store beneficiaries, allowing the latter to lower their retail prices.
“For example, ang isang item ay 10 pesos, pero ‘pag kinuha niyo yan sa S&R ang price ay nine pesos (P9). ‘Pag kinuha niyo ‘yan sa factory, eight pesos and fifty centavos (P8.50), d’un po sa wholesale distributor, eight pesos (P8) na lang — dalawang piso na ang natipid mo. So, kahit bawasan mo ng piso ang benta mo, kikita ka pa rin ng one peso more than y’ung before,” Cayetano explained.
(For example, an item is worth P10. In a well-known department store, that might cost nine pesos, and in a factory, that might be eight pesos and fifty centavos. But if you buy that from a wholesaler, you can get it at eight pesos — you have saved two pesos. Thus, even if you lower your retail price by a peso, your profit will still be a peso more than before.)
“Ang tanong naman namin sa kanila (sari-sari store owners), pwede bang ibenta nyo rin ng mas mura nang konti para y’ung inyong mga pinagbebentahan ay may benepisyo din?” he added.
(My question now to the sari-sari store owners is, ‘Could you sell the items at a lower price so your buyers can benefit as well?’)
The “Alan’s Sari-Sari Store Community” draws inspiration from Cayetano’s “Presyo, Trabaho, Kita” program which he launched in 2013 to help different cooperatives from all over the country grow.###
