 |
| In photo (L-R): Nemia Rontal and Wilma Manalastas |
Almost every Filipino neighborhood has one: a sari-sari store nestled beside a family home. It is the small corner shop where neighbors pick up daily essentials, buy mobile load, settle bills, or simply exchange stories before heading home. For generations, these community stores have been woven into the fabric of everyday Filipino life, built on trust, familiarity, and relationships nurtured one customer at a time.
Today, many sari-sari stores are evolving alongside the communities they serve. Beyond selling groceries and household necessities, some now offer bills payment, cash-in and cash-out services, and mobile load. Others have expanded into online selling, embracing digital tools that help streamline transactions and support growing business needs.
For entrepreneurs like Nemia Rontal of Bocaue, Bulacan, and Wilma Manalastas, adapting to these changes became a pathway to strengthening their businesses and creating greater financial stability for their families through Maya Business.
Before becoming one of the trusted Maya Business agents in her subdivision, 39-year-old Nemia spent nearly two decades in the corporate world as an Accounting Supervisor. When health challenges forced her to step away from full-time work, she began focusing on the sari-sari store she had started years earlier outside their home.
Back then, the business was modest. Two sacks of rice displayed in front of their house served as the foundation of what would eventually become a thriving neighborhood enterprise.
"Nagsimula kami na para pandagdag lang sana noon," she recalls. ("We started it simply as a way to earn extra income.")
With a natural interest in financial systems and business operations, Nemia became curious about digital financial services. In 2018, she attended a Maya seminar in Guiguinto and applied to become a Maya Business partner.
As the years passed, her store transformed into more than a place where customers bought rice and groceries. Residents began relying on it for bills payment, cash-in transactions, and mobile load services. During the pandemic, demand for accessible financial services grew significantly as more people sought convenient options closer to home.
"Unti-unti siyang naging regular na serbisyo para sa mga tao rito," she says. ("Over time, it became a regular service people in the community relied on.")
As business steadily expanded, access to additional capital became increasingly important. Through Maya Advance, Maya Business' in-app financing feature that provides eligible businesses with collateral-free revolving funds, Nemia gained access to additional capital she could use for inventory, daily operations, and household expenses.
Her initial approved amount was around ₱18,000. Through consistent business growth and transaction activity, her available loan limit eventually increased to more than ₱200,000.
For Nemia, the convenience of the platform is just as valuable as the funding itself.
"Kapag fully paid na, mabilis lang ulit magamit," she explains. ("Once it's fully paid, we can easily access it again.")
"Malaking tulong siya lalo na kapag kailangang magdagdag agad ng paninda." ("It really helps whenever we need additional capital for inventory.")
Today, the business continues to provide stability for their family. It has helped finance home improvements, support her children's education, and even contribute to purchasing a vehicle. What began as a small source of supplemental income has become a dependable foundation after her corporate career ended.
Yet for Nemia, success remains grounded in the simple routines of daily life. It means opening the store early each morning, balancing household responsibilities with business operations, and helping neighbors complete their transactions throughout the day.
For Wilma Manalastas, the journey took a different path but was guided by the same willingness to adapt and grow.
What began as a traditional sari-sari store gradually expanded into online selling. Wilma started offering gadgets, mobile phones, clothing, and other trending products through digital platforms, creating an additional source of income alongside her husband's work.
Like many Filipinos who entered online selling organically, she learned through experience—managing inventory, juggling multiple income streams, and navigating increasingly busy transactions while embracing digital solutions.
"As the negosyo grew, syempre kailangan din ng pandagdag puhunan," she shares. ("As the negosyo grew, we eventually needed additional capital to keep up as well.")
Before joining Maya Business, Wilma often relied on credit cards whenever she needed funds for restocking inventory or supporting peak selling periods. Later, as one of the early Maya Business users, she discovered Maya Advance, which allowed her to access revolving capital directly through the app without lengthy paperwork or complicated approval processes.
The accessibility and convenience proved valuable in supporting both her physical store and online business operations.
Years after starting with a simple sari-sari store, Wilma says the business has helped their family achieve milestones they once hoped to accomplish gradually, including purchasing a condominium unit and a vehicle.
More importantly, it has provided greater financial stability and flexibility while helping them work toward their long-term family goals.
Across the Philippines, sari-sari stores have long been pillars of community life—businesses built on familiarity, convenience, and trust. As customer habits continue to evolve, many small business owners are discovering practical ways to grow alongside them.
Through Maya Business, entrepreneurs gain access to digital tools designed to support everyday business operations. These include accepting QR Ph payments from various e-wallets and banks, offering bills payment services, mobile load, cash-in and cash-out transactions, and accessing additional revolving capital through Maya Advance. Merchants can also manage business funds through a digital deposit account built for daily business transactions.
For many Filipino entrepreneurs, growth rarely happens overnight. More often, it begins with a small store, a loyal community, and the determination to keep building one day at a time.
Business owners interested in expanding their operations through digital tools and services can apply to become a Maya Center and download the Maya Negosyo app on Google Play to get started.
Post a Comment