OFW noon, business owner ngayon!
BalikBayani awardees find renewed hope after repatriation
Manelene Gernale Handig spent thousands of kilometers away from her family for 12 years as the breadwinner. As a hotel receptionist in Dubai, she worked for hours on end to provide for her loved ones in Bulan, Sorsogon province.
In 2020, however, Manelene was one of the over 800,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) forced to return home and restart their lives due to the grave economic impact of the health crisis. For the first time in decades, she found herself without a lifeline.
“Dahil sa pandemic, nawalan po ako ng trabaho. Nagdesisyon ako na umuwi na lang para makasama ko ang anak ko at sa Pinas naman itry ang luck ko. Naghanap po ako ng trabaho dito, pero hindi po pinalad at medyo limited din and pwedeng applyan sa lugar namin,” Manelene recalled.
(I lost my job because of the pandemic, and I chose to return home to reunite with my children. I wanted to try my luck here in the Philippines, but I couldn’t find a job because opportunities were limited in our area)
“So nag-decide kami na magnegosyo na lang ako,” she said. A year after returning to the Philippines without a source of income, Manelene dabbled in the retail and wholesale of frozen products in their hometown.
She came across the OFW RISE program of Coca-Cola Philippines, or the Re-Integration through Skills and Entrepreneurship for repatriated balikbayans. Together with the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority, the beverage company launched the web-based training program that aims to provide basic entrepreneurship and business idea development. The online course also provides access for its graduates to financial support and microfinancing.
“Maicoconsider ko po ito na hindi lang one-time aid; tulong po siya for life. Tinulungan po ako na mas makilala ang sarili ko, ang passion ko. Na-discover ko ang strengths and weaknesses ko na pwedeng makaapekto sa pagnenegosyo,” Manelene shared.
(I don’t consider this a one-time aid; the OFW RISE program can help me for a lifetime. The program helped me recognize my passion, and my strengths and weaknesses that could affect the business.)
Starting anew with Coca-Cola
For her perseverance in rising above the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Manelene was honored as one of the 20 exceptional Coca-Cola BalikBayani awardees, who received P30,000 worth of business support packages inclusive of Coca-Cola products.
More than providing drinks as a total beverage company, Coca-Cola also creates opportunities for the Philippines’ modern-day heroes–the OFWs who have significantly contributed to the country’s domestic economy. The company’s partnership with OWWA, Tesda, and the Philippine Trade Training Center opened doors for repatriated Filipinos while giving them renewed hope amid the global health crisis.
“We are delighted to have contributed to multi-stakeholder efforts to help overseas Filipino workers and micro entrepreneurs in their journey of bouncing back from adversity especially during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with our partners from the government, we started honoring them in 2020 through the BalikBayani Awards, ” said Tony del Rosario, Coca-Cola Philippines President and VP for Franchise Operations for the Asean and South Pacific Unit-East Asia Region.
Helping restart lives and livelihoods
BalikBayani beneficiaries were given an opportunity to stay in their home country and continue to effectively provide for their family through their learnings from the OFW RISE program. Graduates of the program were able to apply the micro-financing skills they gained and purchase the supplies they needed to get their businesses up and running.
After working as an electrical engineer in Saudi Arabia for 17 years, Ceazar Esquibal now owns a mini-grocery and eatery in San Mateo, Isabela province. This business owner learned how to tweak his lifestyle and adjust his cost of living to make room for a new opportunity.
“Thanks to the OFW RISE program, I now know various strategies in running a business, especially during the pandemic. I knew that I had to save money so that I had allowance for any additional cost that I may incur,” Ceazar said.
Through a loan program offered by the Small Business Corporation, he was able to purchase supplies and invest in a mini-grocery where shelves were lined with Coca-Cola products, food and basic household items.
The awardees’ exemplary performance in training initiatives and online courses offered by Coca-Cola Philippines and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) gave them renewed hope: they now lead their own businesses and have full control of their finances.
“OFWs are gravely affected by the global pandemic, and hurdling challenges brought about by loss of income or employment is no easy feat. It takes great courage and a huge amount of effort to rise up and reestablish a source of income by setting up micro and small businesses. Coca-Cola Philippines, together with our OFW RISE partners, shall continue to provide assistance toward a successful and productive reintegration of OFWs through business modeling and livelihood opportunities,” Del Rosario said.
