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Showing posts with the label Sari-sari store

"Business as Usual" as the Filipinos Define It (Vulcanizing Shop, Sari-Sari Store, Bakery) – Part 1

I asked the shop owner about these old unused tires on what are they doing with it. The Vulcanizing shop owners says, “Oh, someone will pick up those tires and pay us 5 or 10 pesos each. Sometimes they just take it for free”. Vulcanizing Shop - A Classic Example of Filipino Business You’ve most probably seen and been into a local, typical vulcanizing shop like this one in the photo. The business concept is very simple. Here’s a customer with his flat or deflated tire and the vulcanizing boy will repair it using a rubber compound patch, a heating tool, and an air pump. If it’s a regular car or van tire, repairing one may only take 10 minutes the cost of which is around 30 to 60 pesos. If it’s a tire from a truck or bus, it could be around 30 minutes and the repair would cost the vehicle owner around 100 to 150 pesos. Here’s the thing. A shop like this one could potentially earn a revenue of 1000 up to 2000 per day just by repairing a flat tire. Why? Well, with thousands of

We Sell to Earn a Living - In the Philippines, it's Selling Almost Anything Under the Sun

As a native traveler, it has been my habit to photograph people and the things they do - under the heat of the sun. During my travels, I got fascinated with how Filipinos make a move to earn a living in this country. Be it foods, clothing, souvenirs, household materials, drinks or wearable stuffs, we've got it all for buyers like you. And what's amazing about the way Filipino sells things is that you can always ask for a bargain price or "tawad". You'll be lucky enough if you got discounts. In the market, along the street or "bangketa", inside passenger jeepneys and buses, inside shopping malls and even inside the offices, there will be someone who would sell to you and most probably say this: "Mura lang ate, kuya, bili na kayo". And if you become their "suki" or regular buyer/customer, chances are you'll get a free stuff to bring back home. Well, much has been said about the buy and sell business in the Philippines. I remember