Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday said he envisions the Sari-saring Pag-asa program to become “a movement” that promotes not just jobs but entrepreneurship.
“Gusto po nating maging movement ito na kung saan hindi lang trabaho, trabaho, trabaho, kundi negosyo, negosyo, negosyo ang ating mga kababayan,” Cayetano said in a Facebook livestream on November 16, 2021 just before the Sari-saring Pag-asa aired on his official Facebook page.
(We want this to be a movement where people don’t just think about jobs, jobs, jobs but also business, business, business.)
A total of 45 pre-selected beneficiaries from Pasig, Las Piñas, and Marikina received financial assistance from the program on Tuesday, while 30 commenters were selected from the program’s Facebook livestream.
The Sari-saring Pag-asa program distributes P3,500 each to selected sari-sari store owners as supplemental capital for their businesses.
The program’s mantra is encapsulated in four action points for sari-sari store owners: Budget, Engganyo, Save, and Tiyaga or “B.E.S.T.”
The initiative also offers a template budget plan for beneficiaries so they can use their cash aid to improve their small businesses and secure their daily needs.
Meanwhile, Cayetano called on the public to help struggling households and business owners through other means.
“We don’t have to donate money or resources, especially if we don’t have to. But we’re given so much in talent and magugulat po kayo (you’ll be surprised), the more you give, the more na babalik sa inyo (it will go back to you),” he said.
Barangay officials lauded the Sari-saring Pag-asa program for giving aid to struggling business owners amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Barangay Chairperson Arcel Umipig of Barangay Sta. Rosa in Pasig said the initiative was able to extend assistance to sari-sari store owners who did not qualify for national and city cash aid programs.
“Ito’y magiging malaking tulong talaga doon sa aming maliliit na tindahan dito sa barangay,” he said.
“Ngayon, lahat tayo ay dumadaan sa pandemya, as you may know po, yung iba po sa kanila, excluded sa mga binibigay ng national at saka ng city,” he added.
(This will be a big help for small stores in our barangay. As of the moment, we are all grappling with the pandemic but as you may know, some of us were excluded from the aid being distributed by our national and local governments.)
For his part, Barangay Councilor Remegio Clavecillas of Barangay Talon Uno in Las Piñas said the program will enable sari-sari store owners in their community to improve their livelihood.
“Napakalaking tulong ito sa aming mga nasasakupan na mabigyan sila ng dagdag-puhunan para sa kanilang mga hanapbuhay,” he said.
(This will really help our constituents since it will give them additional capital for their livelihood.)
National Capital Region Association of Barangay Chairpersons president Ziffred Ancheta and Barangay Chairperson Emiliano Ramos of Barangay Talon Uno in Las Piñas also thanked Cayetano for extending help to their constituents.
