Seventy-five (75) more sari-sari store owners have joined the Sari-Saring Pag-Asa program on Tuesday, September 8, breaching the 2,500 mark for the total number of beneficiaries.
The Sari-Saring Pag-Asa program is an initiative of former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies from the Balik sa Tamang Serbisyo (BTS) sa Kongreso in which pandemic-hit sari-sari store owners are provided with P3,500 in cash aid to help them restock their items and grow their small businesses.
Forty-five (45) beneficiaries of the program on September 7 came from the cities of Pasig, Pasay, and Las Piñas, while 30 other beneficiaries were chosen from the previous Facebook livestream of the program.
One of the beneficiaries was Rosemarie Trilliana, a sari-sari store owner from Malabon City, who lost her customers, capital, and inventory when the pandemic hit.
“Gagamitin ko po ang P3,500 sa pamimili ng gatas, kape, at mga pangunahing pangangailangan sa tindahan at palalaguin natin po ‘yon unti-unti,” Trilliana said.
(I will use the P3,500 to buy milk, coffee, and other basic supplies for my store. From there, I will grow the store little by little.)
“Makakaasa po kayo na mailalagay ko ito sa aking tindahan,” she added.
(You can count on me to put it in my store.)
Barangay Chair Elpidio Bunag of Barangay Sta. Lucia, Pasig City expressed gratitude for the program, saying the initiative’s financial aid is a “big help” to sari-sari store owners during the pandemic.
Relaunched on August 31, the Sari-Saring Pag-Asa program aims to provide opportunities for sari-sari store owners to earn more amidst the pandemic.
The program is a complement to the Sampung Libong Pag-Asa initiative launched by Cayetano and his allies on May 1.
