For 70 mothers in Brgy. Anabu 2C in Imus City, Cavite Province, a lot has changed since the opening of their community store in the city’s wet and dry market.

From mere recipients of help from the government as beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, they’ve come a long way already as every one of them now knows how to work hard for their families.

And for them, what’s even better now is how they find friends in each other who will do everything to help make the burden of their daily lives a lot easier to handle.

The making of their store

As beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya program, they are provided with conditional cash grants to help support the needs on health and education of their children. To help sustain the gains of this program and help these families stand on their own, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provides other opportunities to them, one of which is the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The SLP capacitates beneficiaries towards employment or income-generating opportunities through skills trainings. As for these mothers in Brgy. Anabu 2C, they were provided with basic micro-enterprise training to help them start their own small businesses.

In July 2015, the association of 70 members passed a proposal for a community store to offer basic commodities such as rice and canned goods. They were later granted PhP700,000.00 through the Bottom-Up Budgeting scheme of the DSWD.

“Noong nabigyan sila ng puhunan, sila mismo ang nag-asikaso ng lahat ng papeles para sa kanilang tindahan,” shared Leilanie Arquiza, the assigned project development officer in the area.

The mothers excitedly engaged themselves starting from the renovation of their stall in the market, processing of business requirements and sourcing out of suppliers for the basic commodities in their store.

“Nagpapasalamat talaga kami sa puhunan na ito dahil ngayon, hindi lang kami mga ordinaryong nanay o simpleng mga benepisyaryo lang ng Pantawid. Kami ay mga negosyante na ngayon na nagsisikap na mapalago ang puhunan at matulungan ang aming mga pamilya,” shared Rosita Tadia, the president of the association.

Helping each other

For the community store owners, their store is not merely a business.

“Malaking tulong ito sa amin dahil may nahihiraman na kami ng bigas at ibang pangangailangan sa bahay. Dito kasi sa tindahan, ang mga members, p’wedeng mangutang muna at babayaran na lang after one week,” shared Eufemia Cabatay, another beneficiary.

The members agreed to allow each other to pay for the goods on a weekly basis. To practice discipline and still protect their business, they collect PhP30 interest per week of delay of the payment.

They’ve also opened a credit line where members can borrow PhP500 to PhP1,000 that is payable in a weekly basis.

Lydia Ginolos, another beneficiary, is glad for this opportunity.

“Nagtitinda ako ng gulay at prutas sa kariton dito sa palengke. Dati, nanghihiram ako sa 5-6 para magkaroon ng puhunan. Pero ngayon, pinayagan nila akong makahiram ng PhP1,000 para sa puhunan ko. Ngayon, mas malaki na ang naiuuwi ko para sa pamilya ko dahil nagbabayad lang ako ng interest kapag hindi ako nakakabayad sa nakatakdang oras, at kung may interest man ay maliit lang,” Lydia shared.

Giving back

For these mothers, helping each other and working together to get up are enough to pay back the good fortunes provided to them by both the Pantawid Pamilya and the SLP.

“Aalagaan namin at palalaguin ang negosyo dahil ito lang ang aming paraan para ibalik ang naitulong sa amin,” shared Elsa Canubas, another beneficiary.

As a proof of their dedication, the group opened their second community store this October 2015.

For all of them, their growing business is more than just an opportunity to improve their lives. It is a proof that mothers like them can do something to make their dreams of a better life a reality.# with reports from LArquiza