Women Empowerment Month.
In collaboration with Rappler & Pantene.
Photography: G & G
Art Direction: G & G
Text by: Aidrianna Mejia
Alma Ocampo, Toy Vendor.
Alma sells bubble guns and toys for a living. It’s been almost a year since she started with the help of her aunt who is also a street vendor. Some days, she earns P300 but on a good day, she can earn up to P1,000.
She was a former saleslady in department stores, has worked in factories, and also became a household helper. Her husband works as a construction worker but it is not a stable job. Alma helps out to put their children through school.
“Siyempre kahit sino naman, may pangarap. Siyempre kung meron pa ‘kong mapagkakakitaan na mas mahigit pa dito, o makapag-abroad… ‘Yung kita ang hinahabol ko kasi siyempre gusto ko, makatapos ‘yung mga anak ko. Marunong pa naman mga anak ko.” (Everyone has a dream. Of course if I could find a better-paying job than the one I have now, or work abroad… I need a good paying job. What I want is for my children to finish their education. They’re smart children.)
Evelyn Putong, Barangay Tanod.
She was once a janitress and a household helper before she volunteered to become a barangay tanod. It’s been 6 years since that day.
She wakes up before 5 am. Her day starts by watching over the children who go to school, making sure that they’re safe.
“Kailangan mo rin talaga magtrabaho. ‘Pag di ka magtrabaho, wala kang kakainin.” (You really need to work. If you don’t work, you won’t have anything to eat.)
Laundry worker.
Joselyn Sahagun, Vendor.
She is 20 years old and a high school graduate.
She decided to live with her boyfriend and help her mom sell religious paraphernalia in Quiapo for 3 years while her partner works as a delivery boy.
She gives her earnings to her mother but she’s sometimes able to keep some for her and her husband. Sometimes she earns P1,500 a day. Sometimes, there are no profits, or she earns just a minimum of P500.
She says that every first Friday of the month, she has to be in Quiapo by 2:30 am. Sometimes it gets tiring when there are a lot of people and when it gets got.
“’Yung mga ibang lalaki, di na nagtatrabaho, mga pasarap sa buhay. Pero ‘yung asawa ko, nagtatrabaho. Masaya naman ako kasi nakakatulong din ako sa Mama ko.”
“May mga pangarap ako: magkaroon ng sariling bahay, magkaroon ng masayang pamilya, at siguro makabalik sa pag-aaral.” (Other men just take it easy in life and don’t work. But my husband works. We’re happy because I’m able to help my mother earn. Yes, I have dreams: to have our own house, to have a happy family, and maybe to go back to school.)
Angel Floren, Takatak girl.
“Sa totoo lang, dito ko na binuhay ‘yung mga anak ko. 15 years na kasi akong biyuda. Maliit lang ang kita pero nakakatulong sa pang-araw-araw.” (To tell you the truth, it’s in this job that I was able to fend for my children. I’ve been a widow for 15 years. I earn small but it helps in our daily expenses.)
She has 4 children; 2 are still in school while the other two are working.
“Kumita lang kami ng P200, makakabili na kami ng bigas. Masarap din ang sarili mong kita. ‘Pag meron kang gustong bilhin, nabibili mo at nakakabili kami ng pang-araw-araw sa bahay.” (Just to earn P200 a day is enough to be able to buy rice. It’s a good feeling to have your own earnings. If you want to buy something, you could, and we’re able to spend for our daily needs.)
Jinky Capistrano, Stuff toy Vendor.
“Kung kaya mo naman ding magtrabaho, eh di magtrabaho ka.” (If you are able to work, then work!)
Jinky helps out in her sister’s stall for a few months. She used to be a vendor in the wet market. Sometimes she earns P500 a day but on good days, especially in December, she earns P2,000.
“Mas masaya ‘yung nagtitinda ka kaysa nasa loob lang ng bahay. Kasi kung wala ka namang maliit na inaalagaan, maghanapbuhay ka na lang. ‘Yung iba, sasabihin nila, wala silang puhunan kaya sa bahay na lang. Madali lang naman kung gugustuhin nilang magkaroon ng puhunan ‘pag marunong kang magdala.” (I'm happier selling and working for a living than to be idle at home. If you don’t have young kids to take care of, it’s better to work outside. Others will say they have no capital for business so they’ll just stay at home. It’s really easy to acquire capital if they so choose it, if they know how to get it.)
Alicia Rosales, Sampaguita Vendor.
Alicia has been selling sampaguita in Quiapo church for 10 years. She earns P200 to P300 a day. Her husband is a kargador or a porter in Quiapo.
They have 2 children; one already works and helps out in the house while the other just stays at home.
She sells under the rain or under the sun just to make sure that she brings home enough for her family.
“Yung mga asawa namin, walang trabaho. Kaya kailangan kumilos para makaraos. Sa panahon ngayon, ‘pag hindi ka maghahanapbuhay, wala.” (Our husbands have no jobs so we need to work to get by. These days, if you don’t work, you’re left with nothing.)
“Ang pangarap [ko] lang ay makaraos.” (My only dream is to get by.)
Renalyn Ludovici, Street Food Vendor.
Renalyn stopped her studies to be able to work. She says that she does it for her parents and her siblings.
She started working last January. Her uncle asked her to help out in their small stall along Sta. Mesa.
“Yung Papa ko po sa construction, ‘yung mama ko housewife. Minsan nakakaipon ako ng P100 o P50. Kahit ayoko magtrabaho, nagtiyatiyaga na lang ako para sa magulang ko.”(My father works in construction and my mother is a housewife. Sometimes I’m able to earn P100 or P50. Even if I don’t want to work, I pursue it to help my parents.)
“Ang pangarap ko: Gusto ko bumalik sa school at makatapos, at makatulong na din sa mga magulang ko.” (My dream is to go back to school and finish my education so I could help my parents.)
Rizalina Samudio, Mananahi.
Today, she is able to hire two other seamstresses to help her with the work. Her husband has fallen ill and her eldest has graduated from college.
“Ito lang ‘yung pinagkakakitaan namin kasi sa boss ko ‘yung mga makina. Hiniram ko lang. ‘Yung mister ko ‘yung nagtatabas, ako nananahi.” (This is my only livelihood since my former boss owns the sewing machines. I just borrowed them. My husband cuts the cloth and I sew.)
She says that she works for her children. Until she can still work, she will continue to do so because what her children earn sometimes isn’t enough.
“Ako na lang ang kumakayod. Nananahi, minsan magdamag. May tatawag para magpasukat, pupunta ako dun tapos punta ng Divisoria, mamimili.” (I choose to work. I sew, sometimes all night. Someone will call for a fitting, I go there for it then head to Divisoria to buy materials.)Today, she is able to hire two other seamstresses to help her with the work. Her husband has fallen ill and her eldest has graduated from college.
“Ito lang ‘yung pinagkakakitaan namin kasi sa boss ko ‘yung mga makina. Hiniram ko lang. ‘Yung mister ko ‘yung nagtatabas, ako nananahi.” (This is my only livelihood since my former boss owns the sewing machines. I just borrowed them. My husband cuts the cloth and I sew.)
She says that she works for her children. Until she can still work, she will continue to do so because what her children earn sometimes isn’t enough.
“Ako na lang ang kumakayod. Nananahi, minsan magdamag. May tatawag para magpasukat, pupunta ako dun tapos punta ng Divisoria, mamimili.” (I choose to work. I sew, sometimes all night. Someone will call for a fitting, I go there for it then head to Divisoria to buy materials.)
