Championing sari-sari stores after Yolanda

UNDER Project Hope, P&G aims to build 3,000 sari-sari stores and public market stalls to help Yolanda survivors

Businesses, both big and small, were among the major casualties of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” that hit central Philippines in November last year.

Damage to property was estimated at P35 billion by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Many farms and small businesses were completely wiped out in the floodwaters and areas including Tacloban City became almost entirely dependent on government support and aid from nongovernment agencies.

Back to zero

“It was back to zero for us, everything was washed away not only by floodwaters but by the looting. We actually just gave away what we had because we did not want to see other people going hungry while we had something for ourselves. People had to resort to drastic measures just to eat,” said Reden Joy Luna, owner of a stall in the Tacloban market.

But it was at this most trying time that the private sector extended so much invaluable help to those devastated by the supertyphoon.

For instance, Procter & Gamble (P&G), a leader in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, spent the past year reviving livelihood in the Visayas through its Project Hope rehabilitation program.

Project Hope is a multi-pronged approach to rebuilding areas ravaged by Yolanda.

Its main thrust is to build 3,000 sari-sari stores and public market stalls to help the area’s residents regain their livelihood.

ANNA Legarda (right) with two Hope Store recipients.

Together with its distributor partner Dranix East, P&G was among the first on the scene after Yolanda struck to put stores back up and start serving the ravaged areas.

As early as Dec. 13, a mere three weeks after the typhoon, P&G started clearing debris, cleaning up, repainting, and restocking destroyed sari-sari stores.

It started building and delivering “Hope Stores,” orange stalls provided by the company and stocked with best-selling P&G products so the owners could also have starting capital and begin anew with dignity.

In the first wave of efforts, P&G and Dranix were able to rehabilitate 38 public markets and over 1,600 stores, with a commitment to deliver a total of about 3,000 stores.

“This is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways we can help the most people in the fastest time. Sari-sari stores mean livelihood and progress in the community and are the center of collective stories. We are so proud to see our Project Hope Stores represent these in their lives and communities. They enable hope in the survivors and it is heart-warming to hear their many stories,” shared P&G Philippines Communications head Anna Legarda-Locsin.”

“At the end of the day, the people and their stories are what matter. These are the stories that will be remembered and shared. We want to make sure they are heard and not forgotten after the storm,” she added.

The local government also believes in the power of these small stores to revive livelihood.

“The sari-sari store is one of the quickest ways to gain income, so this idea of using it to ignite the economy of towns affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda is a very good idea,” said Mayor Pel Tecson of Tanauan City, Leyte. “Project Hope is a great collaboration between local government and the private sector to achieve that.”

Grateful hearts

The beneficiaries of Project Hope are nothing but grateful for the help extended to them.

“It was surreal. It was hard to accept that everything was gone,” said Noemi Kho of the town of Candahog. “But the Hope Store has helped me. It would have cost me so much money [to put up my own]. But now, I can get a fresh start for free.”

“When we were trying to rebuild our market stall last February, P&G spotted us and gave us products for free. P&G even gave us display stands for the products,” added market stall owner Reden Luna.”

“We lost everything, including our livelihood. We didn’t know how to bounce back,” added Annalyn Jamora. “But when I was given the Hope Store and I started selling again, I felt alive. We were finally able to not only survive but also get things for the new baby that’s coming in a few months. We were also able to replace all the items in our home washed away by Yolanda.”

Aside from the Hope Stores, P&G also provided relief and aid to the victims. It has already donated close to P75 million worth of products to provide immediate and mid-term hygienic relief for survivors, evacuees and families displaced for months.

P&G did this through partners such as the Philippine Red Cross, ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya, GMA Kapuso Foundation, TV5 Alagang Kapatid and UN Population Fund.

Together with Save the Children and World Vision, P&G also provided 25 million liters of safe drinking water.

Strong commitment

P&G Project Hope continues its commitment to rebuild livelihood through its partnership with the US Agency for International Development, Rebuild and Coca-Cola.

As USAID rebuilds homes for families, P&G provides sari-sari stores. Then P&G and Coca-Cola fully stock the stores with their best-selling products as starting capital for the storeowners.

The partners aim to turn over 500 stores in phases over two years to families in Tacloban, Tanauan and Palo.

Legarda-Locsin reiterated the commitment of P&G to its partner companies and NGOs saying, “P&G’s purpose is to touch and improve people’s lives daily through our brands and people. This becomes especially apparent during disaster rehabilitation. We are committed to give back, and it is critical to do this sustainably. After the storm, the biggest reward is seeing that we enabled and re-ignited hope in the people whose lives we promised to touch and improve,” she said.