Sari-Sari Store

Ate’s Sari-Sari store recently re-opened after I came to stay with the family and is doing quite well business wise.  We compete with the store across the street from us but we are better stocked with a variety of products (hence the meaning of sari-sari) from candy, canned goods, cookies, fresh bread delivered daily, sodas, fresh produce, to toiletries and detergent for washing clothes, load for mobile phones.  The store is located in the front of the house off to the side and has now become the hangout spot for people waiting to board a bus that comes by or just for chica-chica (small talk or gossip).  Children somehow scrap up enough money to buy the little snacks in the store and guys come for the cigarettes and a breath mint.  We sell uncooked rice, oil and other ingredients for ulam (side dish) around lunch and dinner the most.  I can honestly say that she makes about P200-P500 a day (roughly about $5.00-$10.00) on the sales in the store.  My host brother said that this store helps generate income for our food.  I agreed that this was a good store and business as well.  In order to stock the store, Ate has to go the town proper and buy the items in bulk; she then brings them back to the house by Jeepney or tricycle.  She comes back with many boxes filled with and does her accounting of everything when she comes back.  She even opened the store on Christmas day to serve the patrons of the community.

The Sari-Sari store can be compared with the corner store seen in most urban areas of the United States.  In New York, they are referred to as the Bodegas and ran by the Hispanics (many of them Puerto Rican) Back in the day you could buy things on credit and pay it back once you got paid or worked out some other agreement.  I think my Ate does that also, let people purchase things and they pay her back by selling her produce or bring the money.  In the south these stores also exist but are referred to the mom and pop stores.  Similarly to the U.S. Ate must have a business permit to operate the store and also have barangay clearance.  I just thought they open without being officially recognized. Like in NY, the children come to the store and get items for their parents/caregivers.  One child came to get cigarettes, which completely blew my mind as he tried to light it as well. Then my host sister said that it was for his father. During brown-outs our Sari-Sari still operates.  Sometimes I will assist in the store as the “tinidera” but my host-sister mostly stays in the store.

As aforementioned the store has reopened with the help of my rent/food payment to Ate. She receives P5, 000.00 monthly (roughly about $120.00USD) for me to stay here.  When I mention this amount to my co-workers they say that she is getting a lot of money because most Filipinos pay P1, 000.00 to rent space.  This is one reason why I hesitate to leave because I see what good my presence does here in the small borderline impoverished community. Of course I could move to the town proper and have more access to other things but it is better to stay here and close to my agency.