In the past, residents of Barangay Montealegre in Tuburan, Cebu — including several beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) — would have to go through long, perilous walks so they can ride public utility vehicles just to meet their most basic needs.
Each trip to the nearest public market meant a 14-kilometer ride over rough, muddy roads just to buy rice, salt, or a few cans of sardines.
Still, many held on to their hopes that one day, the market would soon rise closer to home. And when that day finally came, it was their own community that made it happen.
Today, Barangay Montealegre is home to the Montealegre Vendors 8P’s Consumers Cooperative, a thriving local enterprise now managing four ‘sari-sari’ stores in the community.
For cooperative president Reyna Chris Remonsada, the business grew not only from a desire to secure higher income but from a shared wish to ease a long-standing community burden.
“Gusto po namin makapagbigay ng produkto sa mga suki namin sa murang halaga at para po hindi na nila kailangang pumunta ng bayan para makapamili ng mga kailangan nila,” Reyna said in an interview with #Kwento ng Pag-asa at Pagbabago (#KPAP), DSWD’s online documentary that tells stories of change and perseverance among beneficiaries reached out by the agency’s development program.
Starting a business once seemed impossible for the 19-member association that lacked both the resources and necessary training. But things began to shift when the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) entered the picture.
The SLP is the DSWD’s capability-building program that provides opportunities to the poor, vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalized sectors to access and acquire livelihood assets to improve their socio-economic conditions.
Through the SLP, the group received over Php300,000 seed capital grant, along with a series of capacity-building activities on financial management and entrepreneurship.
With these tools and renewed confidence, the cooperative opened its first sari-sari store last 2023.
Offering a wide range of affordable merchandise, their first branch gained steady ground in the market and was soon mirrored by the ballooning income.
Over time, more of their stores opened across the community — each one bringing goods and convenience closer to the homes of many townsfolk.
“After 2 years and 3 months, ito na siya. Naging known na siya and ito yung main branch namin and nakapagtayo na rin kami ng tatlo pang branches sa iba’t-ibang sitio,” Reyna happily shared.
For the past two years, the local government of Tuburan has also supported the cooperative by providing additional training and resources to help sustain its business.
To expand further, the group ventured into chicken broiler production, allowing them to supply poultry products directly to their stores.
“Kaya kami nag-chicken broiler para hindi na kami pupunta sa bayan para bumili ng manok. Kami na lang ang magsu-supply sa main branch namin,” said Frijelyn Olasiman, one of the cooperative members.
Now registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the cooperative continues to grow stronger with the guidance of the DSWD and the local government.
As described by Reyna, these major strides would not have been possible without the push of the DSWD that has supported them every step of the way.
“To DSWD-SLP, thank you so much sa tulong na hindi namin inaasahan pero nakapagbigay talaga ng additional income sa pamilya namin. Malaki po itong tulong sa amin—sa lahat ng members,” Reyna said with a bright smile.
For co-member Frijelyn, the cooperative did not only improve their income but likewise lightened their daily struggles and brought small comforts closer to the home of many families in their community.
“Maraming salamat sa DSWD kasi malaking tulong po ito, hindi lang sa aming pamumuhay kundi pati sa mga bumibili, para di na sila kailangang lumayo pa,” Frijelyn pointed out.
From once trudging long muddy roads to buy a kilo of rice, the people of Montealegre can now do their grocery shopping just a few steps from their doorsteps.
What used to be a tiring errand has turned into a bright opportunity that keeps the community moving and earning, while helping and uplifting one another.
The #KPAP — the DSWD’s award winning online documentary – is a joint production of the Traditional Media Service (TMS) and the Digital Media Service (DMS) which are under the agency’s Strategic Communications. It is hosted by Information Officer Bianca Piedad-Tamondong and is posted every Tuesday on the DSWD’s official Facebook page. (LSJ)
