'SALTY' SURVIVAL. Many Filipinos have resorted to selling food and other items online to make ends meet as the Covid-19 pandemic has affected many business and jobs. Maricon Cabalejo, owner of Bebang's Delight, said she aims to survive life's sour moments brought by the health crisis through selling 'bagoong' (shrimp paste) and other types of delicacies. (Photo courtesy of Bebang's Delight Facebook page)
MANILA – If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. However, beyond making lemonades, Filipinos seem not to take sour things in life sitting down but constantly discover ways to rise and aim for small but sweet victories amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
As many events, shows and production shoots were canceled due to the health crisis, 41-year-old road manager Maricon Cabalejo's source of income took a back seat. This was when she decided to go full blast with her "bagoong" (fish paste) business as her primary source of income was adversely affected by the lockdown.
A road manager handles shows and events of talents in Metro Manila and the provinces.
Cabalejo, a resident of Don Fernando Homes in Barangay Niugan, Malabon said she was a 10-year veteran of this profession and was affiliated with LDG Talent Management and Services in Quezon City.
Faced with a total income loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to go ahead with her "bagoong" brand, "Bebang's Delight" which she started in 2016 to earn extra money.
Incidentally, "Bebang" is the name of her daughter, the third of her four children. She added that they used part of the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) subsidy extended to them by the government last May 8 to beef up her "bagoong" and their "sari-sari" store as their alternative income sources during the lockdown period.
Initially, she said that she was selling around three boxes of "bagoong" weekly with each box containing 24 bottles.
"Then it jumped to 10 boxes twice a week," Maricon said in an interview Friday.
Cabalejo was assisted in the business by her husband, Jhon-jhon, who was responsible for buying the "alamang" and other ingredients for making the "bagoong" and making deliveries as well.
While the demand for "Bebang's Delight" tapered off slightly, Maricon said business is still good as she now had a number of resellers.
"We now have resellers who are given a chance to earn some money," she added.
Also, Cabalejo said that she also branched off into selling "inadobong chili garlic", fried garlic toppings, "daing na bangus" and "sugpo" (shrimp) to further diversify her business.
"We're sourcing our 'daing' from the same supplier supplying groceries in Pampanga," she added. Maricon also said she also has collaborations with "BestCaffe", a herbal product supplier, to further boost up her market.
Meanwhile, tricycle driver Randolph del Rosario, 32-year-old and of Pasay City, said he decided to use the SAP he received from the government last April 2 to fund a "cooked food" business so that he will have an alternative means of livelihood during the lockdown period.
And like many Filipinos during this pandemic, Randolph sells his "lumpia" and "embotido" online.
While his earnings from this business is not really that big, he said that it is enough to sustain the needs of his family.
Del Rosario also works as a construction worker as a means to earn additional income.
Meanwhile, 36-year-old Dennis Manahan from Taguig City, a dog breeder, said he used the SAP he received last May 8 to buy new dogs to beef up his stock.
He added that he decided to go ahead with this project as once his female dogs get pregnant within the next four to six months, there is a very good possibility of him tripling or quadrupling his investment. (with reports from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
