Entrepreneurs see Cory wake as just another business opportunity

From as far as Calaca, Batangas, welder/electrician Clemente Bayungan went to Intramuros, Manila in hopes of earning at least P500 a day from selling shirts with photographs of the late former President Corazon Aquino and her husband, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr. Bayungan laid his wares on a table in one of the tents set up in front of the Manila Cathedral. It was an effective strategy as people who took shelter from the heavy downpour immediately noticed the shirts. He only started selling the shirts Tuesday afternoon. “Kinuha naming ‘yung T-shirt sa Binondo saka namin nilagyan ng print. Kumita na rin kami kahit papaano," he told GMANews.TV while attending to three to four buyers. In a normal day, he is a freelance electrician/welder who earns P600 at most in a day. “Kailangan magbenta ngayon kasi hindi naman palaging may nagpapagawa ng kuryente e," Bayungan said. He added they need to lower their prices from P 150 –P120 yesterday to P100 Wednesday to attract buyers. “Kailangan maubos ito kasi kung hindi mas-konti ang kikitain," he said. A little farther from the Manila Cathedral was Celia Badrina, 40, and her husband selling yellow ribbon for P5 a piece. They came from Los Baňos in Laguňa. They have been selling souvenirs since 1989. “Nagtitinda kami ‘pag may mga field trip sa Mt. Makiling, d’yan sa Museong Pambata, kahit saan tourist spot at kung saan maraming tao gaya dito," she said. They were able to earn some P1,800 in the first two days of Mrs. Aquino’s wake at the cathedral. Badrina said she was able to send her five children to school through selling souvenirs. Cavite vendor Another vendor who went to Manila just to sell shirts was 50-year old Josephine Gonzales from Magallanes, Cavite. She said her intention was not only to sell shirts but also to give respect to Mrs. Aquino. She added that selling shirts is the business of her sister and she just took the opportunity to get near the former president. "Dumayo pa ako para magtinda at makiisa sa pakikiramay. Magsasaka ako sa bundok e. Sa La Salle pa lang pinuntahan ko na siya," Gonzales said. She added: “Nung namatay sia FPJ (former actor Fernando Poe Jr) at Francis Magalona, hindi naman ako lumuwas. Ngayon lang. Gusto ko talaga sila ng asawa niyang si Ninoy." She refused to say how much exactly she earned but said that she ordered for 30 pieces of shirts worth P80 each. She sold these for P200 but lowered the price to P100 last night because of scarce buyers due to rains. She was selling what remained of her wares when GMANews.TV interviewed her. Another veteran vendor plying wares of handkerchiefs and pins with a photograph of Mrs. Aquino in front of Manila Cathedral was Antonia Roque, 41, a resident of Herbosa, Tondo. She said she is getting the products from her “amo" (employer) who gives her P200 to P300 depending on her sales. "Ginagawa ito ng amo namin tapos kaming magkakapitbahay nagtitinda nito," she said. She regularly sells wares during El Shaddai prayer assembly in Parañaque every Saturday and in Quiapo Church every Friday. But it seems that 26-year old taho vendor Henry Matic was among the luckiest as he was earning P4,000 a day since the start of Mrs. Aquino’s wake. This is a big amount compared to the P800 he is earning in a normal day. "Business-minded Filipinos see these events as an opportunity to earn money so we grab these opportunities especially now that it is hard to earn a living," said English-speaking Matic, who is also a call center agent, a freelance dubber and fishball vendor. He said he also sold shirts during the wake of the late actor Rico Yan and handkerchiefs during the wake of Magalona. Other items sold in Manila Cathedral were caps, hats, umbrellas, candies and other food items. But not everything was for sale in front of the cathedral. Promo Jason Tumabang was mobbed by people when he started giving out free chocolate cereal bar. When asked by GMANews.TV why he was giving out the sweets, he said: “Promo po namin ma’am saka charity na rin po." His bag was emptied in just about five minutes. He said five of his co-workers were also in the area giving out the sweets for free. He said they brought some 13,000 cereal bars. Other items given free by concerned people were biscuits and mineral water. - GMANews.TV