From trash to
cash
Some
people may think of junk as something worthless and trivial, but
surely, it is a gem to Perla Boniao. |
Press Release
July 7, 2022
SAN PABLO CITY –
Junkshops are usually one of those underrated buy and sell
businesses. This may be because people think of it as dealing with
trash, so they tend to underestimate its true potential in the
business industry. But for some people, trash is where they found
their treasure.
Perla Boniao is a native
of Camiguin Province and has been married for more than 35 years.
Three of their five children are already married, while the youngest
is currently in her second year in college. Perla also has nine
grandchildren who further add joy to their home.
Back when they were still
in Camiguin, their family’s source of income was growing root crops.
Because the primary challenge of agri-business is the seasonality of
the produce, there are some months that their income were not
sufficient for their needs. Her husband then decided to work for
another farm, but the additional income of P220 per day was still
not enough to cover their daily expenses, especially since their two
children were in high school at that time.
Their family decided to
move to Calamba City in Laguna when her husband found a job
opportunity there. Still, Perla felt the need to help her husband to
provide for their family. Fortunately, her brother in-law who also
resides in the same city, was kind enough to teach her how a
junkshop operates. With the enough information she gathered and a
capital of P10,000, she managed to start her junkshop business.
Her junkshop accepts
almost all kinds of junks including - cardboard, steel, tin,
galvanized iron, and paper. Due to her connections with the buyers,
she did not have any trouble selling the things she acquired. She
was able to earn P2,000 a day which for her is a good start for a
first timer like her.
As her business grew, she
needed a banking institution she can trust for her financial needs.
She found CARD SME Bank, a thrift bank that caters not only to
microentrepreneurs like her but also to small and medium
enterprises. When she started as their client, she first availed a
loan of P3,000. Now that her income from her junkshop business
significantly increased, she has availed of a higher business loan
to further expand her business.
Because her business is
already generating income more than her family’s needs, she can now
acquire assets for her family. She now owns a 300 square meter of
land where her relatives from Camiguin are now taking care of her
ten cows.
“I have nothing but
positive things to say about CARD SME Bank. I am grateful for all
the support it has given my family and my business,” she explains.
Later on, she found out that CARD SME Bank is not just any other
thrift bank. It also offers non-financial and community development
services like microinsurance. Now, all her family members have
insurances that serves as their safety nets in times of
uncertainties.
Perla’s story reminds as
to always look at the positive side of life. Some people may think
of junk as something worthless and trivial, but surely it can be a
treasure from a different perspective.