Pagusbong ni Juan | Documentary Film

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"81 Taon na, Umaarangkada pa Tungo sa Disenteng Trabaho

at Maunland na Negosyo"
Perseverance - Success | The Story of Hortaleza Multi-purpose Cooperative Organization | 2014

DOLE-NCR is very active in the implementation of its livelihood programs. The effort of the RO does not end with the granting of livelihood kits to the beneficiaries. It conducts monitoring visits to ensure the success of the livelihood grants and how it changed the lives of the recipients.

The inspiring story from the representative of Hortaleza Multi-purpose Cooperative Organization was told by Mr. Dennis Evasco, a former employee of R. Hortaleza Vaciador who was retrenched from said company. Due to work stoppage, Mr Evasco described that it was a now walk in the park experience. Some of his colleagues formed a cooperative to ensure a steady source of income after their displacement. They sought financial assistance from DOLE-NCR and started a small business on beauty and cosmetics.

They started vending their products on sidewalks. We even experienced being chased by the MMDA. They confiscated our products when we failed to make the run for it, shared Mr Evasco. Due to their hardwork, in 2010, DOLE-NCR granted them an additional financial assistance of Php 400,000 which they used to acquire additional equipment for their pahasa service and to even increase their product line.

They started their own line of nail pushers, barber brushes and foot scrubs, which are manually made by their workers.The competition is very stiff as people patronize cheap products from China. The advantages is the best quality of locally-made products, and they boast that their products passed quality control to ensure that it would last longer, serving its purpose. The bulk of their products are being sold at Quiapo and Divisoria. Their products led to our business growth which resulted to the establishment of addictional branches in Sucat Paranaque, Binan Laguna, Tandang Sora Quezon City, Paco Manila and Alabang Muntinlupa.

Now, the cooperative has 35 regular employees deployed in their six (6) stores.None of their workers finished college education but almost all are high school graduates.

"We are all sales people or front liners, none of us ever worked in an office setting, so no one has technical know-how in running a business, even in purchasing and accounting processes. We all charge it to experience. We always see to it that all of us are people oriented thus we coined a motto, 'Walang aalis na Costumer na walang nabili'. We all owe it to our skills as sales persons in our previous work experiences. This is also a reflection of our discipline and perseverance.

Our Main store which is along Rizal Avenue, Manila, is where the products are made and stored for distribution to other outlets. As of November 2013, we are proud to say that the cooperative has about Php 1.6 million in inventory and an estimated asset of Php 400,000. We will continue to expand our operations in order to sustain our business." - Mr. Dennis Evasco

When asked about their secret to success, he said "There is really no secret, perhaps the key is our perseverance to have a better life through decent and productive undertakings. Also, we have the sense of ownership. We are all conscious of the roles that we are to perform as this is no longer just a mere business, this is already a family. We always guarantee quality products to ensure continued patronage of our costumers."