The relaunch of the Sari-Saring Pag-asa on August 31, 2021 brings to the fore the success of previous beneficiaries who had received not just P3,500 in cash assistance but, more importantly, renewed hope in the midst of crisis.
“Yung natanggap naming pera kahapon P3,500 ibinili ko muna ng mga soft drinks at saka yung iba po is mga dilata tapos tatlong tray ng itlog. Yung ngayon mamimili ako ng mga sitsiryang konti,” Liza Bautista said after being selected as beneficiary on July 10, 2021.
A sari-sari store owner from Olongapo City, Bautista is now able to sustain her family’s daily needs. She now earns P700 to P1,000 a day after stocking her store using the assistance she received from former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies in the Balik sa Tamang Serbisyo (BTS) sa Kongreso.
Despite the continued crisis caused by the pandemic, she remains committed to her family and the growth of her business.
Watch Liza Bautista’s story:
In a similar manner, Beverlyn Cruz from Guiguinto, Bulacan is also able to support herself and her two children using the P3,500 stimulus.
When Cruz first started her sari-sari store back in June 2019, her daily income was around P1,500-P2,000. Due to the pandemic, her earnings went down to P300 per day and she was unable to fully stock up her store.
Cruz was selected as a beneficiary on July 12 and with P3,500 in hand, she was able to revive her store and now earns around P500 a day. While it is not the same as her earning before the pandemic, it is a sign that the situation has improved for her.
